Calicut University clarifies that it is not reducing seats in affiliated colleges, rubbishes media reports

The Calicut University (CU) has refuted reports that it had decided to reduce the number of additional graduate and postgraduate seats in the colleges under it for the 2022-23 academic year. The varsity's syndicate member KK Haneefa said that the university would allow colleges to make admissions as they did in the previous year.

Contrary to the media reports, he said that the university would allot additional seats to colleges after considering the rising demand for seats this year. He added that the number of seats can only be increased after considering infrastructure and other facilities in the colleges, as per an ENS report.

"Reports that appeared in a section of media that the university will not sanction an adequate number of additional seats for this academic year are baseless. Last year, many seats in colleges remained vacant as there were no takers. This year, we have taken measures to increase the number of graduate and post-graduate seats based on the demand. The process will be completed soon. People who lead such campaigns against the university citing shortage of seats in Malabar are only trying to help those who accept huge donations for college seats," he said.

"Students and parents should not worry about the campaigns. The state government has allotted additional courses in colleges to ensure that students get a chance to continue their studies in the state itself. Infrastructure and other facilities of colleges will be considered while approving additional seats. There are district-level committees to assess the facilities in colleges," Haneefa added.

The university had recently issued a circular stating that colleges could increase a maximum of 60 seats in graduate courses, as against the previous year's government order which allowed 70 additional seats for these courses. The circular had sparked a controversy, which had led to syndicate member P Rasheed Ahammed asking the university to revise the circular and allot the maximum number of additional seats in the colleges to avoid a shortage, especially in the Malabar region for the current academic year, as per the ENS report.