Thiruvananthapuram: The government's decision to deny approval for off-campus colleges in the University Amendment Bill appears to have been influenced by the intervention of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The provision initially included in the draft bill was removed during the cabinet meeting on Monday. CPM had earlier given the political approval to the draft bill which was expected to make things easy for universities in the state.

Under existing rules, universities can only establish campuses within their specific geographical boundaries. The amendment in the draft bill sought to remove this provision and allow campuses to be set up anywhere within Kerala, in other parts of the country, or even abroad.

At the World Kerala Assembly, expatriates had demanded that universities in Kerala establish campuses abroad. The N.K. Jayakumar Commission, which was tasked with recommending reforms in higher education, also suggested an amendment to university laws to facilitate the off-campus establishment of universities.

It was at this point that the government decided to remove the provision for off-campus colleges from the new draft bill. The decision to deny the freedom for the universities in the state to start off-campus establishments have been taken during a time when private universities are expected to pose threat to the state universities.  

Growth of universities in state will be affected 

The new amendment bill has been criticised for hindering the academic and financial growth of universities. Universities like Calicut and MG have already received invitations to establish campuses in Gulf countries. These universities are currently performing well in global rankings.

In the QS World Rankings last year, Kerala University was ranked 88th among the top universities in South Asia. MG University has consistently been featured in the Times Higher Education rankings for top higher education institutions. All four universities in the state are ranked in the top tier of the NIRF rankings. Therefore, establishing off-campus facilities could have provided growth both globally and financially. Critics argue that the government’s decision is blocking such opportunities.

Easy ride for private universities 

The government has declared that private universities will have the same powers and rights as public universities. However, by denying public universities the freedom and authority to establish off-campus units, private universities are granted a distinct advantage. Some private universities have already registered in other states and set up campuses in Kerala. The removal of the off-campus provision means that public universities in the state will no longer have the opportunity to expand in this way. As higher education becomes more competitive, public universities may struggle to compete with private ones. Critics argue that this decision ultimately supports the growth of private universities over public ones.