R. Bindu
Q/ Governor Arif Mohammad Khan has made statements against the higher education department. Has the government taken steps to solve the matter?
A/ Our government gives great emphasis to higher education. The budget has allotted more than 01,000 crore [to the sector]. We are trying to boost research and promote experiential learning. A paradigm shift is happening. The governor should ideally support this paradigm shift, but instead, his comments are defaming higher education in Kerala.
I admit there are issues in the higher education sector. But compared with other states, we have the best educational institutions. Four of our universities feature in the top 100. And 17 of our institutions feature in the top 100. We have a system to ensure quality education. But statements that attract national attention are being aired to defame the domain.
Q/ In the assembly, you said the governor was using constitutional bodies to smuggle hindutva agenda into higher education.
A/ My words were not that the governor is doing it. [Sangh parivar] is trying to smuggle hindutva agenda, not just through the office of the governor, but in many other ways.
If people who subscribe to hindutva ideology come to occupy key positions [in universities], it would be detrimental. We can see such smuggling of hindutva ideology across the country. Hindutva is trying to capture all our knowledge centres and reestablish archaic social systems. There is an effort to smuggle hindutva agenda into Kerala also, but I did not say the governor had done it.
Q/ There are allegations that CPI(M) is dominating executive bodies of universities and even controlling the vice-chancellors.
A/ This is wrong. I was also a syndicate member [in a university]. I know well that nothing can be done by the syndicate [to influence appointments]; only the interview board has the power to make appointments. Vice-chancellor has a key position on interview boards. VCs are acting independently in our universities. Also, since we came to power, we have appointed only those with the top academic background as VCs in our universities. It was not so during the reign of the UDF. I have mentioned that in the assembly. They have appointed even a DCC secretary [as VC]. Also, VCs appointed by the UDF, like Abdul Salam (of Calicut University), used to behave in an autocratic manner. The current VCs are not taking any such stance. There have been more than 1,000 postings in the universities.
But now, pointing out just one posting—that of Priya Varghese (wife of chief minister’s private secretary K.K. Ragesh)—there are efforts to defame the entire higher education section. How can they say that? How can someone allege that Priya does not have the required qualification just because she is the spouse of a political leader? Consider her educational qualifications. Among those in that rank list, only Priya had first class for BA and MA. The person who came second on the list had only second class. Also, he had not cleared NET. I am not trying to defame him, but we have to check Priya's qualifications. The appointment was made according to the 2018 UGC regulations. It says that only 75 marks are required as a research score. She has claimed a score of over 150. Whatever it may be, the interview score is the only criterion for appointment.
Q/ Priya Varghese got the PhD only in 2019. Save University Campaign Committee says she does not have the required 8 years of experience.
A/ Teaching experience is considered from the time a person joins the lectureship. If they (Save University Campaign Committee) have any objections, let them challenge it in court. And, let the court decide it.
But it is not right to defame the entire higher education sector based on a single appointment. Just check the qualification of the VCs we have appointed. Kannur VC Gopinath Ravindran is a postdoc from the London School of Economics. He is an emeritus professor there even now. Kalady Sanskrit Univerity VC M.V. Narayanan took PhD from the University of Exeter, UK. He has taught at Miyazaki University and many other prestigious institutions.
Q/ Reappointing a vice chancellor is not common in Kerala. But the government decided to do it in the case of Prof Gopinath Ravindran at Kannur University.
A/ He was reappointed because he is an eminent academician with international exposure. He is an expert in Indian history. It is not easy to bring such eminent people to Kerala as vice chancellors.
Q/ But, at the time of his reappointment, he was past the stipulated age limit of 60.
A/ When it is a continuous term, it is not an issue. [The reappointment] was an extension of his term. Multiple courts have examined the issues involved, and none has found any error.
Q/ The High Court quashed the VC’s decision to reconstitute the university’s board of studies without consulting the chancellor, as was required by law.
A/ In that case, a mistake was made. The court made the decision; we accepted it. The VC has his reasons.
Q/ The VC sent the same list that the court rejected to the governor for approval.
A/ There was nothing wrong with the list.
Q/ It allegedly had people who were not qualified. Persons from CPI(M)-backed self-financing colleges were in the list.
A/ There is no law that says that teachers from self-financing colleges are not allowed to be on the board of studies. If there are good teachers from self-financing colleges, we should accept them. I have not studied the required qualification for joining the board of studies at Kannur University. My understanding is that those who were in the list were qualified. But the fact that the list was not submitted to the governor for approval was a technical error on the university’s part.
Q/ The governor recently said that the government forced him to reappoint Ravindran.
A/ We did not force the governor.
Q/ During the Kalady Sanskrit University VC selection, the government recommended only one name instead of submitting a panel of selected applicants. The governor returned the file citing the same. Was it not required to submit a panel of selected applicants?
A/ There is no law like that. Until there is a law which says that a panel should be submitted, we do not require to give a panel. M.V. Narayanan is an apt person to be the VC for Kalady University. There is no question about that.
Q/ The governor may not sign the University Laws Amendment Bill.
A/ If he is not signing it, he should cite concrete reasons for it. It is his constitutional duty to sign the bills passed by the legislature.
Q/ There have been several allegations regarding the appointment of spouses of CPI(M) leaders in universities.
A/ Just because a person’s husband is a CPI(M) leader, can’t they apply for a job? I have personally suffered because of such allegations. I believe I faced a lot of restrictions because I was the wife of a political leader (A. Vijayaraghavan). Groups like the Save University Campaign Committee, which are making these allegations, are full of malcontents. They have a clear political agenda.