Thiruvananthapuram: SFI is strongly opposing the state government’s move to implement major reforms in the higher education sector including the introduction of four-year-undergraduate courses, starting from the next academic year.

The proposed changes in academics which are in tandem with the latest National Education Policy (NEP) will be discussed at the national convention which is scheduled to happen at the Thiruvananthapuram EMS academy on Monday (Sept 25). Kerala state higher education minister R Bindu will inaugurate the convention. Assumedly, CPM is hoping for the presence of the minister to serve as a major reassurance to its student leaders. Kerala SFI is reportedly expecting an alternate framework for educational reforms from the state government, which is a lot different from the changes introduced by the union government. 

SFI national president VP Sanu had openly expressed his disagreement with the proposed four-year UG courses. His decision has been passed on to the state and central government as well.

According to the stats, 85 percent of the students in the country are studying in private institutions. The introduction of four-year courses will mean that the students will have to spend an additional year at their academic institutions, which will prove to be an additional expense and financial burden on students, especially those from poor financial backgrounds. The suggested provision for dropping out at the various stages of the course is also expected to backfire, he elaborated the context.

VP Sanu noted that no government has so far been able to give a clear explanation of what will be done in the additional (fourth) year. Teachers are not being recruited for permanent posts and authorities are betting on temporary appointments to carry out such reforms. The four-year model was tried at Delhi University. It had failed miserably back then, he said.

It should be noted that in Kerala there exists a provision for dropping out of the course in the third year, however, SFI is demanding a comprehensive study, before implementing any sort of academic reforms

The higher education department of Kerala still maintains that Kerala’s proposed academic reforms are not a blind replication of NEP.