The government had fixed the qualifying marks at 45 per cent for the engineering entrance examinations to ensure that students were not denied admissions to engineering colleges just because they scored less in mathematics,
Education Minister P K Abdu Rabb told the Assembly on Monday. The All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) had fixed the norm at 45 per cent and the college managements also requested the government for a revision, Rabb said in reply to a submission by CPM’s K S Saleekha.
The government had also set a condition that students having only 45 per cent marks should have 60 per cent aggregate in physics and chemistry, Rabb said. Saleekha accused the government of kowtowing to the demands of private self-financing engineering college managements.
The Cabinet decision has come at a time when people are raising concerns about the dipping standards of engineering education in the state.
She also drew attention to the July 2012 observation by the Kerala High Court that 21 engineering colleges in the state were lacking in quality.
“The govt decision has not taken into consideration the fears expressed by society regarding the deteriorating standards in engineering education,” Saleekha said.
The Kerala State Civil Services Academy will soon have a regional centre in Kozhikode and a sub-centre in Palakkad, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said. The construction of the building is nearing completion in Palakkad, he said.