Kerala’s higher education sector to witness key reforms, CM to chair meeting soon

After constituting three commissions to recommend ways to modernise the state's higher education sector, the government is planning to implement some key reforms suggested by the panels in the current academic year itself. It was in September last year that the government set up three commissions with distinct objectives — to carry out general reforms in the higher education sector, to revamp the examination system and to overhaul outdated provisions in Acts and Statutes of various universities.

With the government underscoring its resolve to implement the reforms in a timely manner, the first two commissions have submitted interim reports containing a set of recommendations. According to sources, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will soon chair a high-level meeting in which the recommendations will be discussed and prioritised.

"We have gone through the interim reports submitted by the two commissions and will select those recommendations that can be implemented in the current academic year itself," Higher Education Minister R Bindu told TNIE. However, recommendations that need to be further discussed with various stakeholders will be implemented only after thorough discussions, she added.

"The recommendations of the Commission to amend outdated university laws and statutes will be finalised only after taking into consideration the reports of the other two commissions on general reforms and exam reforms respectively," the Minister said. The final reports of the three commissions are expected to be out within a month.

Sweeping reforms
Meanwhile, sources told TNIE that the commission on exam reforms has stressed the implementation of methodologies of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) that bases each part of an educational system around set goals. Pointing out lacunae in the present semester system, the panel has reportedly stressed continuous evaluation.

"The present system in which an institution (college) deals with teaching and another (university) deals with examinations should change. Teachers should be given a greater role in assessing their students, with sufficient checks and balances," said a member of the commission on exam reforms.

Increasing the weightage for internal assessment to 40% from the current 20%, excluding classroom attendance as an assessment parameter, valuation of university exam answer scripts of a few semesters in the college itself are some of the recommendations proposed. The commission has also reportedly recommended declaration of results within 30 days of the conduct of the examination and issuance of certificates within 15 days of submitting the application.