Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Kerala education Act

This refers to the article "Kerala education Act: a model for the nation" (Aug. 7). The entrance tests conducted by private colleges and deemed universities are a farce. There is no test of merit but only a test of paying capacity. That even students who do not appear for the test get admission is an open secret. When such manipulation takes place, no prudent person can expect merit to get its place. Management quota seats are virtually sold. The Kerala legislation is welcome. One hopes all States will follow suit.

K. Ramesh Babu,
Hanamakonda, A.P.

* * *

K.N. Panikkar pleads for promoting social justice and equality through the provisions of the Act. The church leadership has time and again made it clear that its main objection to the Act is the infringement of minority rights that is contained in certain clauses. To state that the Act does not affect the rights of the minorities would be, from the perspective of the minorities, simply naïve.

Thomas Srampickal,
Thrissur, Kerala

* * *

Instead of focussing on sharing of expenses involved in running private professional institutions (on the basis of the actual expenses the state incurs per student), the Government has tried to redefine the minority status of private institutions. If there are irregularities in admission, they should be dealt with according to the statutes of the affiliating universities and should not be a pretext for strangling the minority institutions.

K. George,
Changanacherry, Kerala

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