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This is an archive article published on July 14, 2022
Kerala government open to allowing private universities, says education minister
The ruling CPM was hostile towards private investment in higher education for years, with its youth wing leading several violent agitations against private educational institutions.
The minister, in her reply to another question, said the government wanted to increase the higher education enrolment ratio to 75 per cent. ( File Photo)
Kerala Higher Education Minister R Bindu on Thursday informed the Assembly that applications for establishing private universities in the state were under the government’s consideration.
In a written reply to questions from Opposition members, the minister said private institutes in the state had approached the government seeking permission to establish universities. The applications were examined by the Kerala State Higher Education Council, which has subsequently submitted a report to the government, said the minister.
The minister, in her reply to another question, said the government wanted to increase the higher education enrolment ratio to 75 per cent. As per the All-India Survey of Higher Education (AISHE) 2019-20, the gross enrolment ratio in Kerala is 38.8 per cent, as against the national figure of 27.1 per cent.
The ruling CPM was hostile towards private investment in higher education for years, with its youth wing, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), leading several violent agitations against private educational institutions.
However, in a major departure from the stand, the CPM decided to roll out the red carpet for private investment in higher education at its last state conference, held in March. The proposal for private universities was included in the draft policy for Kerala development.
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