Kerala: Ordinance to amend Higher Education Act

Thiruvananthapuram: The Cabinet has decided to bring in an ordinance to amend the Kerala State Higher Education Council Act, 2007, on the basis of the norms under the Centrally-sponsored scheme, Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA). This is as per the recommendation of the Rajan Gurukkal panel appointed to study the restructuring of the body. The Cabinet meeting on Wednesday decided to recommend to Governor P. Sathasivam to promulgate an ordinance for the purpose. As per the amendment, the governing council would be replaced by an advisory council as per the RUSA guidelines. The Kerala State Higher Education Council Act was brought in by the LDF government in 2007.

According to the RUSA norms, the council vice- chairman should be a former vice-chancellor. However, the UDF government had appointed Mr T.P. Sreenivasan, a former diplomat, for the post.  This had come under criticism from the RUSA. Moreover, the structure of the executive committee was also against the RUSA norms. After the tenure of Mr Sreenivasan, the present LDF government has  not appointed a new council. Instead, it  appointed a single-member commission headed by Mr Gurrukkal to study the restructuring of the council.