KANNUR: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan highlighted the growing interest among international students to choose Kerala as their higher studies destination as the state ramps up efforts to enhance its higher education sector.
Speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Pinarayi Education Hub, an educational complex set to be established at a cost of Rs 285 crore on 12.93 acres in Pinarayi village, Dharmadam constituency, he emphasised the state’s commitment to educational development.
Vijayan noted that only four percent of students from Kerala pursue education abroad, a small fraction compared to the national average. “This year, institutions in Kerala received approximately 2,600 applications from foreign students. Currently, 1,590 international students are studying at CUSAT, and MG University has received applications from 855 foreign students,” he said. He also pointed out the participation of numerous international students in the ‘Keraleeyam’ programme.
Pinarayi asserted that a robust higher education sector in Kerala would make the state an attractive destination for students worldwide. He dismissed concerns about the trend of students studying abroad, attributing the narrative to media sensationalism. “The child has the world at their fingertips and will decide where they want to go,” he added.
Addressing the broader context, he stated that 67% of Indian students studying abroad hail from just eight states, including Punjab, Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
“Can we say there is no good education in these states? The remaining 33% of students go from other states, including Kerala,” he said, adding that 16 colleges in Kerala are ranked among the top 100 in the country, with 71 of the 300 ranked institutions being from Kerala.
Higher Education Minister R Bindu presided over. Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas was the chief guest.
Pinarayi Edu Complex
The Pinarayi Educational Complex will feature a Polytechnic College, IHRD College of Applied Science, ITI, Hospitality Management Institute, and Civil Service Academy. The project includes essential amenities such as a guest house, canteen, auditorium, public playground, and hostel. An open-air auditorium with a seating capacity of 2,000 is being constructed on land owned by the Pinarayi Gram Panchayat adjacent to the project site.
Funded by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), the project is coordinated by the Institute of Human Resources Development (IHRD) and supervised by the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Ltd (KSITIL). This marks the first time in the state that multiple institutions offering innovative new-generation courses are available on a single campus.