The Kannur University Senators’ Forum has raised serious allegations against the university’s administration, accusing it of compromising its autonomy and acting under the verbal instructions of the Higher Education Minister.
The forum claimed that the university had handed over student data to the Maharashtra-based MKCL without signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in violation of norms.
While other universities resisted sharing data, Kannur University (KU) allegedly shared it, which the forum termed a betrayal of students’ academic interests. The forum described the Vice-Chancellor’s alleged involvement in the matter as “unfortunate,” reflecting poorly on the institution’s governance.
The release of the first-semester results of the varsity’s four-year undergraduate programme also came under scrutiny. The forum came down on the varsity for publishing results prematurely on the Principal’s portal, bypassing official protocols. The blame placed on principals and colleges for distributing results was deemed “ridiculous” compared to the alleged lapses by MKCL, the software company managing the results. The forum claimed that the varsity did not give any prior information regarding the trial run.
The forum sought an investigation into whether external agencies linked to foreign universities influenced the situation, possibly aiming to diminish the university’s credibility.
The forum also highlighted alleged irregularities in the first-semester evaluation process. Teachers reportedly conducted assessments using students’ register numbers, rather than anonymised codes, raising concerns about potential bias and mark manipulation. The direct uploading of marks by teachers into the Maharashtra company’s software was termed as a breach of transparency and accountability.
The forum accused the Higher Education Minister of pressuring universities into transactions with MKCL, and KU was the only one to fully implement the directive. This, they argued, violated Section 25(15) of the University Act and demanded a thorough investigation into the matter.
Published – December 21, 2024 09:30 pm IST