KOCHI: The MG University has this year denied affiliation to six self-financing arts and science colleges which did not meet stipulations on infrastructure amid allegations of discrimination. They are Sree Narayana Paramahamsa College, Poonjar; Sree Narayana College, Moncompu; Sree Narayana College, Othara; MGMNSS College Lakkattoor; St George College, Vazhakulam and SN College Mezhuveli. The allegation that has come up now is that several more SF colleges which did not meet these criteria are allowed to continue, and they include those run by IHRD and some private entities.
Altogether 26 colleges were denied affiliation last year by the MGU as they lacked five acres of contiguous land and own building. They included 11 IHRD colleges. Following the intervention of the education minister C. Raveendranath, they were granted affiliation later last year on condition that they will meet the infrastructure requirements by the beginning of this academic year. It was found by the sub-committees of the MGU Syndicate that these six colleges did not meet the specification, following which they were denied affiliation. However, according to MGU sources, the MGU granted affiliation to the IHRD’s 11 colleges of applied science which failed to meet the stipulation this year on executing a bond that they will meet the stipulation soon.
The aggrieved SNP College, Poonjar, went to the High Court against this and according to the principal of the college, it has secured a favourable verdict. “The court said that the yardstick applied in the case of the IHRD colleges should be applied in our case also. The university has scheduled a hearing as per this on Friday,” the principal P. K. Sudarsanan said. “Not only IHRD colleges, but a few private self-financing engineering colleges from the earlier bracketed 26 colleges who have not so far met the infrastructure stipulations have also found a place on the approved list of affiliated colleges now,” said Salim Kalathil, former assistant registrar of Kerala University.
