The Hindu : Kerala News : Chennithala puts the blame on Education Minister

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Wednesday, Jul 19, 2006

Kerala

Kerala

Chennithala puts the blame on Education Minister

Special Correspondent

Thiruvananthapuram : Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Ramesh Chennithala has said that the High Court verdict on the Kerala Professional Colleges Act 2006 was something that the State Government was longing for, but feared that the interim order will not sort out the confusion prevailing in the professional education sector.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Mr. Chennithala while blaming Education Minister M.A. Baby for the confusion in the professional education sector, said the Government had gone ahead with the legislation knowing fully well that some of its provisions would not pass scrutiny of law and would not be included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. The interim order of the Kerala High Court clearly acknowledged the haste with which the Government went about bringing in the Act.

Mr. Chennithala said the Congress party would oppose moves to impose the K.T. Thomas Commission fee recommendations in all the seats in self-financing professional institutions. The party wanted Government fee structure in 50 per cent of the seats. Mr. Chennithala alleged that the Government was aware that its actions would lead to further confusion. It would now have to discontinue the online counselling programme and start counselling afresh.

In reply to a question, Mr. Chennithala said he stood by his earlier allegations that the Government's position on self-financing colleges directly helped the higher education lobby from neighbouring States. The ongoing confusion would benefit educational institutions in the neighbouring States, he alleged. Mr. Chennithala wanted the Government to seek out a consensus path instead of getting entangled in the prolonged legal battle and confrontation. He also wanted the college managements to come to the negotiating table.

E.T. Mohammed Basheer

Our Kozhikode Special Correspondent adds:

Reacting to the interim order, the former Minister for Education E.T. Mohammed Basheer said it was a result of the Government's inability to present a strong case and the "unconstitutional" stand it took on important issues such as minority status of educational institutions.

However, though he held the Government responsible for the order and the "grave crisis" that had been precipitated in the State's educational sector, Mr. Basheer said his party, the Indian Union Muslim League, had no reason to rejoice over the order.

Asked how in his view the issue could be settled, he said the Government should hammer out a consensus in consultation with the managements. The managements should be persuaded to agree to take only Government fee in 50 per cent of seats in their colleges, he added.

K.M. Mani

Staff Reporter writes in Kochi: Kerala Congress (M) leader K.M. Mani accused the Government of acting in haste to implement the Act.

Talking to presspersons here, Mr. Mani said the High Court had not given its green signal to the Act, as it lacked clarity. He said an interim order of the Supreme Court had made it clear that admission to professional courses should be on a 50-50 basis (merit quota and management quota).

The order had also mentioned that the fee structure proposed by the K.T. Thomas Committee would be applicable for admissions made in 2006-07.

Mr. Mani said the Government should have taken into confidence all stakeholders in higher education sector before implementing the Act. He urged the Government to convene a meeting of political parties, students' organisations, parents and teachers to resolve the present deadlock in admission to various professional courses.

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