Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan said that the future generation of Kerala does not want to stay here and they think of ways to escape from here somehow. The Congress MLA was speaking in the Legislative Assembly while giving notice in connection with the adjournment motion regarding foreign immigration of students in Kerala.

However, Minister of Higher Education R Bindu claimed that things are not like that and said that the MLA should not have campaigned that Kerala is very bad. The Minister said that not everyone who goes abroad gets a good job and that the students should be made aware of this reality. The Minister also reminded the House of what the ancestors used to sing “When you hear ‘Keralam’, you should feel proud”.

Kuzhalnadan, on the other hand, said what Minister Saji Cherian said during one of his speeches that those passing out of Class 10 do not even know how to read and write is true.

“The future generation of Kerala does not want to stay here. The current generation above the age of 18 is thinking of escaping from here somehow. This is a scary situation. It is pointless not to discuss or deny the fact. We have not been able to provide an environment for today's generation. Young people in Kerala are working with a salary of Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000. Looking at the average annual salary scale of youth in other cities, it is Rs 9.57 lakh in Bengaluru, Rs 7.23 lakh in Hyderabad, Rs 7.19 lakh in Pune, Rs 6.4 lakh in Mumbai, Rs 6.18 lakh in Chennai, Rs 6.11 lakh in Delhi, Rs 5.72 lakh in Thiruvananthapuram and Rs 5.05 lakh in Kochi,” the Muvattupuzha MLA said.

Kuzhalnadan said that the reason behind the decrease in the salary scale in Kerala is the slow economic growth. Foreign investment in Kerala is very less compared to the neighbouring states. In the area of unemployment, Kerala even lags behind Kashmir. 

There is no point in pretending to have things that are not there. He also criticised the government for not discussing the problems in the education sector sincerely.
“DPI, who heads the Department of Education, had pointed out earlier that those who leave Class 10 do not know how to read and write. He was then mocked and rejected. The Minister (Saji Cheriyan) also said the same thing. He was also rejected and told what he said was wrong. The Minister did not have the will to stick to it. However, he was not wrong. That is the reality. It is enough to check the pass percentage of Kerala in the previous years’ NEET exams. It has gone backward. There is no point in saying that there are many A Pluses in front of this reality,” Kuzhalnadan said.

“The Minister now says that we are at the forefront. 1.08 percent of Keralites get admission to IITs. In other states, it is ten percent and above. We need to find out why we are lagging behind in national exams and find solutions.

“Opportunities for economic growth that would have come to Kerala were destroyed by ideological dogma. Due to this, the IT industry shifted to Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

“In the name of caste and religion that no one wants, we are arguing about non-existent things that the whole world has thrown away. If we cannot create an environment in this state conducive to the youth, then what are we going to achieve? If talented young people continue to flow out, Kerala will eventually become an old age home,” he added.

Minister Bindu then replied that things are different from the concerns shared by Kuzhalnadan about Kerala. It can be said by quoting figures that life is safe in the cities of Kerala. The start-up system of Kerala is included first in the global ranking. MLA should read the India Skill Report. Kerala is mentioned for the increased employability. India's first IT Park was established in Kerala.

The country's first digital science park was opened in Kerala. A significant intervention is being made to bridge the skill gap between employment and education.

There are people who go abroad and do jobs that cannot be done here. It is a myth that most children end up with the best job opportunities abroad. Developed countries are willing to take people from our country because they do not have enough people. The Minister said that the MLA should not have campaigned that Kerala is very bad.