KOCHI: With first year degree classes set to start on Wednesday, a decision is yet to be taken about which syllabus students will follow for the courses, with the new members in the Academic Council raising objections to the new syllabus. In order to solve the crisis, the MG University Vice-Chancellor Dr Babu Sebastian has referred the issue to the university standing counsel in the High Court to get a legal opinion over the objections raised, in order to avert a crisis.
Members of the new Syndicate are de facto members of the academic council and they have raised certain objections to certain aspects of the new syllabus and have demanded that it be implemented next year after correcting them. Interestingly, the syllabus revision exercise has so far cost the university over Rs 50 lakh and the board of studies will have to look into each aspect for a further revision which entails a large expenditure.
It is understood that the VC has referred the matter to the standing counsel in order to understand whether the objections have legal standing and will stand legal scrutiny. The objections raised include those relating to paper credit and hour allocation for subjects. The VC is expected to take a decision on the subject tomorrow itself after getting legal opinion so that classes can start on Wednesday without any confusion.
It is learnt that the VC himself had ratified the syllabus using Section 10 (17) of the MGU Act, exercising the powers of the Academic Council, and he had reported it to the next Academic Council and its minutes are in circulation now. Now he is understood to be taking a safe route so as not to antagonise the new Syndicate members and the new Government.
