Kerala's Left government approves private investments in higher education sector

Kerala's left government welcomes foreign universities to the state. The state committee of the LDF (Left Democratic Front) in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has approved a development policy document aimed at making far-reaching changes in the higher education sector in the state. On Friday, January 13, a meeting was held that approved the proposal for private investments in the higher education sector, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express. 

Further, it is reliably known that the left front has also approved the proposal for starting institutions in the higher education sector in the cooperative sector, private-public-participation (PPP) model and private sector investment. Additionally, the document also stressed the need to start deemed universities. The policy document also stressed the need to avail of foreign loans for the state's development as the central government is blocking the development process. 

"Government should continue the process of encouraging private industrial parks. If any unwanted trends from the part of the trade unions exist in any of the industries, the government should act to solve the issue", the document said. However, except for the lone anguish expressed by the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) representative Varghese George, all other front partners choose to remain silent. 

It is learned that Varghese George has pointed out that in the Deemed universities, foreign universities and private universities there won't be any reservations. The students from socially backward castes and classes will be the most affected, he said. He further demanded that in the name of foreign loans, there should not be a situation where people's employment and ecology be destroyed. 

While answering his queries, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan guaranteed the leaders that the government will protect social justice while implementing the reforms in the higher education sector. In the name of foreign loans and private investment local traders' employment will not be curtailed and the government will take steps to protect ecology, CM assured the LJD leaders, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express. 

Further, justifying the LDF's decision, Convener EP Jayarajan said that it is not a policy change on the part of the front, but a timely transformation. The approval of the state government is now unnecessary to start a foreign university in the state since the central government had decided to give approval, he added. "If it would not harm the state's interest, the government has no problem with it. LDF won't oppose private investment in the higher education sector," he said.