Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty will hold talks with student organisations on Tuesday (June 25) in connection with Plus One higher secondary admission.
The talks are being held on the directions of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the wake of representations submitted by student organisations seeking a permanent solution to the “shortage” of Plus One seats in Malabar, particularly in Malappuram.
On the basis of the discussions with the organisations, steps will be taken if needed, a statement from the Minister’s office said on Sunday.
The student forums have been protesting at various places and courting arrest against the alleged apathy of the government in addressing the issue.
The Kerala Students’ Union (KSU) and the Muslim Students’ Federation have staged marches to the offices of regional deputy directors of higher secondary education. Activists of the organisations, affiliated to the Opposition, waved black flags at the Chief Minister in Kozhikode on Saturday.
The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) too has warned of protests if the issue is not addressed.
Black flag waved
A day after the MSF marched to the office of the Director of General Education here, it was the turn of Mr. Sivankutty to face the ire of the protesters. The Minister’s office, in a statement on Saturday, had claimed that there was a shortage of only 2,954 seats in Malappuram, and all students would get Plus One admission after supplementary allotment.
On Sunday, as Mr. Sivankutty left his official residence Rose House for the swearing-in ceremony of O.R. Kelu as Minister in the State government, KSU activists blocked his official vehicle justice outside the gates.
Nearly a dozen KSU activists who surrounded the Minister’s vehicle not only waved black flags at him but also tied a black flag on his vehicle.
The activists shouted slogans asking where the Plus One seats that the government claimed existed were and sought the Minister’s resignation. They demanded that the Minister reply to their questions on the Plus One seat issue. The police removed the black flag from the Minister’s car and tried to remove the protesters.
The protests come a day ahead of the beginning of Plus One classes in this academic year. Mr. Sivankutty will welcome the new students at Government Higher Secondary School, Cotton Hill, at 9 a.m. on Monday.
Plus One classes will begin in 2,076 government, aided, and unaided higher secondary schools on Monday. The classes are beginning early this year as compared to July 5 in 2023 and August 25 in 2022. This will ensure more working days for Plus One students.
As many as 3.25 lakh students have taken permanent admission so far, the statement from the Minister’s office said.
