'Rs 6,000 cr worth of projects implemented in Kerala's higher education'

Development projects worth Rs 6,000 crore have been implemented in the higher education sector over the past four years, Kerala Minister for Higher Education and Social Justice R Bindu said on Saturday.

Speaking at a press conference, the minister said the state's higher education sector is being elevated to international standards.  "A total of Rs 2,000 crore was allocated for infrastructure expansion. Significant advancements have been made in this sector through initiatives funded by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), Plan Fund, and the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)," she said.

She also stated that the laboratory complexes established at Kerala University and MG University have become the largest facilities of their kind in South India.

"Over the past few years, Rs 250 crore has been spent to upgrade the laboratory facilities at CUSAT to high standards," she added.

The two-day conclave on higher education, organised by the Department of Higher Education in association with the Kerala State Higher Education Council, will be held at Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) on January 14 and 15. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the programme, Bindu said.

A pre-conclave workshop, 'Study in Kerala,' organised as part of the conclave, will be held on January 13 at Rajagiri College here, she added.

Currently, around 13 lakh students are enrolled in higher education institutions across Kerala, she stated.

The minister also mentioned that the state's educational institutions are consistently securing commendable positions in national and international quality assessments.

The claim that all students from Kerala go abroad for education is not true, Bindu clarified.

"In this era of globalisation, borders are becoming less significant, making foreign education more accessible than ever. However, studying abroad is not a trend unique to Kerala. Only four per cent of students going abroad for education are from Kerala," she stated.

The state government is not discouraging students from pursuing studies abroad. Instead, it is focused on providing education of international standards within Kerala by establishing state-of-the-art facilities, the minister added.

The four-year undergraduate programme has already been introduced by all universities. A model curriculum, a uniform examination calendar, and other such initiatives are already in place.

Bindu stated that the newly introduced four-year degree programme has received a positive response from students.

"One semester has already been completed, and there have been no significant issues typically associated with implementing a new system. The government is committed to enhancing facilities to ensure a comfortable learning environment for students," she said.

In the higher education sector, the government aims to encourage a policy that will increase job opportunities and safeguard the interests of student scholars to continue with their research activities, she added.

The four-year undergraduate programmes will help students pursue in-depth study in their respective fields while offering structural equality in academic status with undergraduate programmes conducted by various international universities and institutes, Bindu said.