KOZHIKODE: An order issued by the Calicut University Vice-Chancellor on August 14 to grant provisional affiliation to start arts and commerce courses in nine oriental colleges, seven in Malappuram and two in Kozhikode, has invited the wrath of various institutions and political parties. BJP stated on Sunday that they would invite the attention of the University Grants Commission to the issue.
“This is clearly the implementation of Indian Union Muslim League’s secret agenda in the state. Finding loopholes in the existing laws and attempt to turn oriental colleges into regular colleges is a fraudulent move. They first get the conditions relaxed and obtain permission through backdoor. Here, the Syndicate was made insignificant. If the news reports that the Vice-Chancellor had a meeting with a League minister prior to him issuing this order was right, this is a clear proof to show how the government, Muslim League and VC have conspired together to topple the secular system,” said BJP state president V Muraleedharan.
“Even the laws are being manipulated for a particular community. The last resort here in this issue is to approach the governor, who is supposed to give assent, to give the University’s order legal validity. Unfortunately, she is the one who escaped the controversies of corruption and came to Kerala. We are checking the possibilities of intervention of the UGC into the issues,” he said.
The Student Federation of India will directly hand over to the VC their protest in writing on Monday, said state secretary T P Bineesh. “We are not against Arabic colleges getting more provision. But why the secrecy? The issue must be discussed thoroughly, involving academics from various sections and then implement, instead of admitting students in haste. The technical issues surrounding their upgrading must be checked,” he said.
Vidyabhyasa Samrakshana Samithi will file a petition at the High Court questioning the order by the VC. They have called for stopping admissions to these colleges immediately, said state coordinator A Vinod. A committee met on Sunday decided to work unitedly against favouritism and to hold a convention including parents, and managements of the educational institutions.
The Association of Calicut University Teachers (ACT) wrote to the governor, requesting her to annul the order by the VC, order an inquiry into the matter and take suitable action against the VC. ACT stated that the order was a blatant violation of the Calicut University Act and Statutes and highly irregular. They said that it was a fraudulent move to confer ‘Arts and Science College’ status on these colleges through backdoor and provide the staff there with UGC pay packages and other facilities for which they are not eligible.
They added that the action of the VC was completely illegal since there was no provision in the Act or statute which confers the VC with the authority to exercise the powers of the Senate and the Chancellor.