University allows Athira to continue at College of Engineering Trivandrum

Athira will return to the College of Engineering Trivandrum on Wednesday, this time with her head held high.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Athira will return to the College of Engineering Trivandrum on Wednesday, this time with her head held high.

APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University on Tuesday decided to allow the tribal girl from Urali hamlet in Vandiperiyar to continue her Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering course at the prestigious institution.

The university’s decision will keep the hopes alive for Athira who struggled against odds to dismantle barriers. She would have to start from second semester. “A formal order will be  issued on Wednesday.” said a senior official of the university.


Being a year-out student, Athira’s dream of continuing studies at the engineering college was on the verge of collapse. In fact her parents came on Tuesday to take her back home. Express has published a report on her plight on February 10. 

“I want to attend the class on Wednesday itself after completing the formalities. A panel of faculty members will decide on the number of papers I will have to clear.” said a beaming Athira. 

She joined the course in the 2014 batch when CET was under Kerala University. According to the tribal girl, she faced harassment from faculty and students and was forced to be an year-out.

When engineering institutions in the state were brought under the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University in 2015, thousands of year-out students like Athira were made to struggle.

As a special case, Athira had the option of getting a transfer to the engineering college on Karyavattom campus which was still under Kerala University. Had she chosen Karyavattom campus she would have continued her studies as a fourth-semester student. But Athira was determined to continue her studies at the CET instead of opting for a lower grade college.

She knocked the doors of Governor P Sathasivam and Education Minister C Raveendranath to facilitate her studies.

The Governor sought a report on the issue.

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