Six months after it made headlines following the suspension of a professor over his political views, the Central University of Kerala may be set for another political storm.
The Central University of Kerala, which operates under the Union government, is located in Kasargod and was established in 2009.
In a circular dated March 13, the vice-chancellor of Central University of Kerala announced the institution would discourage research in “irrelevant areas" and instead focus on areas of “national priorities”. The circular notes, “When fellows are being admitted for PhDs, the topics for thesis should be in accordance with national priorities. Allotting privilege topics to the PhD students [will] be dispensed with.”
The circular also directs heads of departments to convene meetings with heads of faculty to prepare a "shelf of projects to be taken for research study pertaining to subject considering national priorities". The student can then opt from this shelf. The circular states the move follows decisions taken at a meeting of vice-chancellors in New Delhi on December 15.
The circular is likely to raise questions on how research students are allowed to pursue their areas of study. It would also reinforce concerns raised by critics who allege that rightwing narratives about nationalism are being promoted by officials at the Central University of Kerala.
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Last September, the head of department of English and comparative literature of Central University of Kerala was suspended for uploading a Facebook post in support of a dalit activist student who had been arrested for allegedly breaking a window in the university premises.
Civil society organisations rose in support of professor Prasad Pannian, alleging, “The traders of hate think that they can imprison and thus silence the dalits, the rights activists and the democrats in this country. There is a combined effort to pull a progressive society back to centuries.” In December, the Kerala High Court had directed Central University of Kerala to reinstate Pannian, noting criticism on social media cannot be grounds for suspending an employee.