Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has come under fire for inaugurating new four-year degree courses at universities and affiliated colleges “without having the syllabus ready.”
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Kerala Students Union (KSU) State vice president P. Muhammed Shammas on July 1 accused the Kerala government of “cheating” students by commencing admissions without completing necessary academic preparations.
Mr. Shammas said the Education department and the Chief Minister must explain the “rush” to start these courses, highlighting that the lack of prepared syllabi poses significant difficulties for students.
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In Kannur University, more than half of the courses lack complete syllabi, with some subjects only having material for two semesters, he alleged.
The government had promised ‘course baskets’ allowing students to choose subjects, but Shammas said that none of this has been prepared. “No outline exists for conducting internships under the new system, and the methodology for evaluation remains unclear,” he said.
Mr. Shammas also pointed out inconsistencies between the State’s credit formula and that of the University Grants Commission (UGC), calling for urgent government intervention to address these issues.
He alleged that “political influence and nepotism” within university boards of studies factors have compromised the quality of the syllabus.