Keralam higher education minister Roji M John said on Sunday that no decision has been taken to ban student politics at Kerala University, days after a draft code on conduct of students at the university came up for discussion at a meeting of the institute’s syndicate.
“I can assure you one thing. The stand of our government is very clear. Reports of the draft code had led to Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan taking a strident stand against the university and the state government for “planning to ban campus politics.
Our stance is that student politics must be encouraged on campuses,” John told reporters. Earlier reporting noted: Speaking to reporters in Kochi, John said govt and the higher education department wouldn’t support any move to suppress or ban student politics. Earlier reporting noted: Govt supports student politics, no move to ban it: Minister Roji M John Earlier reporting noted: Kochi : Higher education minister Roji M John on Sunday said the draft of students’ code of conduct under discussion at Kerala University didn’t seek to ban campus politics and that no final decision was taken on it.
The minister clarified that the purported code on students’ conduct was merely a draft forwarded by the legal department for discussion at the syndicate sub-committee.
He slammed leader of opposition Pinarayi Vijayan for peddling the ”fake news” that the activities of student unions would be curtailed at Kerala University.
If a student at the age of 18 has the right to vote and take part in a democratic process, he/she has full rights to decide the politics of their educational campus, elect union representatives and become part of leadership panels, the minister said. The court had said that a draft prepared by MG University in 2005 could be used as a model. Universities cannot be restricted to teaching a syllabus or issuing degrees. “What we need on campuses is not just issuing degrees or teaching a syllabus. John pointed out that the Kerala high court had asked universities to frame guidelines for the conduct of students following the murder of SFI leader Abhimanyu at Maharajas College in Kochi. “Amendments would be made to the draft which would then be approved by the sub-committee and sent to representatives of student unions. After hearing their views and changes made, the sub-committee would submit it to the Syndicate. The syndicate would finalise the draft.
John said he, along with several contemporaries and senior leaders from various parties, entered politics as a student activist. Students must discuss politics on campuses, understand politics and be part of the democratic process,” he said. Only then will it be an official guideline,” he said.
