KOZHIKODE: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan stated that without significant autonomy, Universities in Kerala would be reduced to a ‘state government department,’ and their degrees would not receive recognition outside the state or by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and other countries.
Governor Arif Mohammed Khan made these statements to the media. Earlier, hundreds of SFI activists protested and attempted to block the Governor’s entry to the University. Despite this, he visited and attended the programmes at the University while facing attempts by several SFI activists to prevent his visit.
Governor emphasized that his role as the Chancellor of Universities involves safeguarding the autonomy of Kerala’s educational institutions. He accused the state government of attempting to encroach upon the autonomy of higher educational institutions in the state.
Asserting his commitment to upholding the Constitution, Governor Khan stated, ‘If the state government does not prioritize autonomy for universities, I cannot shoulder that responsibility alone. However, as long as I hold this gubernatorial responsibility as mandated by the Constitution, I will strive to protect the autonomy of our universities.
Arif Mohammed Khan highlighted that he is following the Constitution. He expressed that if the state government does not wish to maintain autonomy for universities, it’s unfair. Such actions will affect the state’s education system, and the degrees may not be recognized by the UGC. Therefore, I will strive to preserve the autonomy of universities.
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