Kerala University will finalise campus politics rules only after consultations: Higher Education Minister

Kerala University in Thiruvananthapuram. (File photo) | Photo Credit: PTI Keralam Higher Education Minister Roji M. John has maintained that the regulations prepared by Kerala University to regulate campus politics would be implemented only after consultations with various stakeholders.According to the Minister, the university had tasked a sub-committee to frame a code of conduct for students. The decision had been taken following petitions filed before the Kerala High Court after the murder of Abhimanyu M., a second-year student and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) leader, at Maharaja’s College in Ernakulam in 2018.The court directed universities to frame codes and suggested the code of conduct framed by Mahatma Gandhi University in 2005 as a model.The sub-committee, appointed by Kerala University, subsequently entrusted the university’s legal section with preparing a draft, which incorporated the provisions of the 2005 guidelines of Mahatma Gandhi University.Syndicate approval“The sub-committee will examine the document, propose amendments and seek the views of student organisations and submit it, with necessary amendments, to the Syndicate. Any decision on student politics will require Syndicate approval, Mr. John told mediapersons in Kochi on Sunday.The Minister said students should be able to discuss and understand politics on campuses and participate in the democratic process.Pinarayi condemns moveMeanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan strongly condemned the Kerala University’s move, calling it an attempt to drive politics and political awareness out of university campuses.In a Facebook post, he said regulating campus politics was unconstitutional and amounted to depoliticisation. He also alleged that such decisions were part of an agenda pursued by those unsettled by student movements that have emerged across the country.Highlighting the historical role of educational institutions and student movements in India’s social and political development, Mr. Vijayan said campuses had played a catalytic role in shaping the country’s political course. Against such historical background, any move to prohibit political activities on campuses could not be accepted, he said.Youth Affairs and Sports Minister O.J. Janeesh, who is also the State president of Indian Youth Congress, said the government would not support any move to ban student politics. He added that he did not believe that partaking in student politics was wrong.Meanwhile, university sources indicated that the backlash could prompt a revision of the proposed regulations, including that to ban political activity on campuses. The university may, however, consider restrictions on the participation of “external forces” with political backgrounds in activities that affect campus discipline. The eligibility criteria for participation in student union elections could also be reviewed.Left-backed Syndicate members have opposed the proposed move, stating that students’ understanding and questioning of socio-economic realities are part of their academic and political development. They said universities should instead formulate programmes to make student politics more constructive. Published - September 20, 2026 08:19 pm IST