THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The committee of Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC) on autonomous colleges in Kerala has recommended a comprehensive amendment of university laws to ensure social justice and academic excellence in such colleges. The recommendations were made in a report prepared by the committee. The state government has also given approval to the report in a high-level meeting convened by Higher Education Minister K T Jaleel here on Saturday.
The major recommendations on the act amendment are the representation of college union chairman and secretary in the governing council and academic council respectively of autonomous colleges in the state, extension of one month to six month period for approving any new courses in the colleges by the universities and to constitute a grievance redressal cell in the colleges to look into students’ grievances on teaching, evaluation and conduct of examinations. The cell will have representatives of students, teachers and parents in addition to the principal.
The committee has also recommended framing appropriate rules and regulations at the university level as the amendments made in the laws of Kannur, Calicut, MG and Kerala universities have not been implemented yet. The delay in the implementation of amendments had also resulted in deadlocks between autonomous colleges and parent universities.
Addressing media persons, Jaleel said the report of the committee recommended amendments so as to ensure a democratic environment in autonomous colleges. “The committee has evaluated and recommended changes. All the recommendations will be implemented as the initial findings by the committee are not satisfactory. However, the amendments will be implemented this academic year soon after the ongoing Assembly session is over,” Jaleel said.
The committee has evaluated and recommended changes. All the recommendations will be implemented as the initial findings by the committee are not satisfactory -K T Jaleel, Higher Education Minister