Stephen Musings

Not on my merit but by His Grace,

The decline in student enrollment for Arts and Science courses in Kerala for 2024.

Data submitted by Hon Minister for Higher Education Mrs. R Bindu in the Kerala Assembly on 11 October 2024, in reply to the question raised by Mr. A P Anilkumar

The data was analysed, and the following chart has been created.

Less than 60% of undergraduate seats in Arts and Science colleges in Kerala were filled in 2024.

In Arts and Science Colleges across Kerala, 41% of seats remain vacant after 2024 admissions were completed. This is 4% more than the vacant seats last year. The worst hit was Mahatma Gandhi University, located in Central Kerala. There were more seats vacant (55%) than those filled. Second in this count is Kerala University with 39% of seats vacant. Comparatively, the north-located universities Kannur (37%) and Calicut (35%) were less affected. The decline in admissions may be linked to students leaving the state for further studies, either to other parts of India or abroad. Kerala has a significant regional disparity in vacant seats, which calls for deeper study thereon.

This year marks the introduction of the four-year undergraduate programme in the state. The program was introduced as part of the National Education Policy 2020, following extensive discussion and preparation. The four-year duration is intended to align with foreign university curricula. The number of students leaving the state has increased despite the new programs offered. Have students lost faith in our system?

This situation is a significant concern and requires immediate attention from all concerned.

Comments on the issue are welcome

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11 responses to “The decline in student enrollment for Arts and Science courses in Kerala for 2024.”

  1. stephen mathews Avatar
    stephen mathews

    Dr Saji Gopinath, Vice Chancellor, Digital University, Kerala

    “It is certainly a concern. But deeper introspection on root causes is required rather than common rhetoric of “outdated syllabus, curriculum” etc. There are many factors favouring outward migration now. The financial system in the country also facilitate such migration. The availability of high paying low end part time jobs is also an attraction. Not to mention the social freedom ( anonymity) available for immigrant student. This process will continue for some more time till it stabilises. Given the resilience of malayali, they will find some job, even if quality of education is poor in many places to which students are migrating. So trying to stem this by doing more of what we do now, may not be very effective. Instead we need to think about bringing people from outside -within country or outside to Kerala. This require systemic changes including mode of instruction, societal support, perceptions created by media and of course proper regulatory changes. I think what we should worry is not on why kerala kids move out of the State but on why others are not moving into Kerala for studies”

    “It is high time we come together to discuss and find a solution. Else we end up a failed society”

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    1. stephen mathews Avatar
      stephen mathews

      Thanks Saji Gopinath sir for your comments. We need to pay more attention to make a turnaround of the students’ exodus

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    2. Binu Joy Avatar
      Binu Joy

      Well said, Dr Saji. Spot on with your observations. We can extrapolate some of those reasons for why the young choose to look for work elsewhere as well….relative anonymity for one. Another is the aspect of higher paying low end often part time jobs and the gateway to them. A shift is aspirations and societal expectations.

      ‘

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  2. ptanto Avatar
    ptanto

    A general perception about the lack of quality education in Kerala universities has fueled migration of students to better universities outside Kerala. They are also attracted by better placement opportunities in colleges outside Kerala. Most Universities in Kerala have an outdated and watered down curricula. For example, economics courses in Kerala are not mathematics based. Mathematical economics is a recent addition to syllabus. A student who studies economics will not get admission in Delhi University in schools such as Delhi school of economics. In Kerala, the major focus is on examinations and much of the resources are wasted on this. There is no internal assessment system in Kerala unlike in other places. But this is something which can be manipulated easily by our corrupt systems.
    The credibility of degrees from Kerala is long lost. No one gives any value to our degrees these days. Ours is a place where students who do not know how to write their own names without spelling mistake, get A plus and clear the exams. What kind of quality can we expect when 99.8 percent students pass an examination!
    All the law colleges in Kerala have been hijacked by political parties, and students who spend their time in riots and protests, clear the exams without even attending colleges. Our PhD professors in English cannot articulate two sentences properly. What kind of education can they give to students? Our teachers are ones who “carry house in their heads “
    Middle and high income people themselves are trying to move out of the place because of distressing living conditions in Kerala. Even with money, life is getting difficult in Kerala because of the political situation there.
    Education is a state policy and hence it cannot change without a good political will. When we have ministers who have not seen schools, how can the system improve?

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    1. stephen mathews Avatar
      stephen mathews

      Dr P T Antony, thanks for your insightful remarks

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  3. stephen mathews Avatar
    stephen mathews

    Jijo Kadanthode

    “I sent my son to a college in Bangalore for graduation. To my astonishment I found that majority of the teachers, including the Principal and students were from kerala. I asked a few parents as to why they sent their wards to B’lore for college education and answer was thought provoking…. Student politics (after all who wants their wards to be tortured by SFI and similar organizations).”

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    1. stephen mathews Avatar
      stephen mathews

      Jijo Thanks for pointing out another reason for parents packing their wards out of Kerala, even though it entails, money and sacrifices.

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  4. Binu Joy Avatar
    Binu Joy

    Am wary of being too critical of the issue. If one has been in Kerala for any prolonged period of time, we are as much part of the problem. In that spirit, perhaps good to look at some solutions as well.

    Will just talk of one…

    When systemic changes are discussed, upstream issues are crucial as well. School education in Kerala is considered quite good by national standards, in fact broad indices used to be shining examples. Only recently have the discussions come up on indiscriminately high percentile scores and low standards. However, if we dig a bit deeper, the malaise starts there. A combination of preparing for scores ( 10th/12th) and the high end professional courses coaching has done a real disincentive to the larger student body. This partly explains the paucity of quality higher education focus in Commerce and humanities in Kerala.

    ‘Skilling’ for life should start at primary school level and right through school. Reading, writing, arithmetic with a focus on the functional. Exposure to options of higher learning and work…not only for the young ones but also parents. Decisions are often made reactive with a herd following towards ‘scope’, high paying courses with little or no attention to what the child may or may not have an aptitude for.

    Only then can we ably leverage the proposed improvements in higher education.

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  5. sereneaf2d1d22f5 Avatar
    sereneaf2d1d22f5

    My view is that neither the syllabus nor the disinterest of people to stay here is the reason for migration of students to other states as well as to foreign countries, but the lack of opportunities and the poor infrastructure here. They also do not see any scope for improvement in this regard in the near future.The blame for this situation goes to our politicians who didn’t have any vision, but only played cheap politics for their only personal gain.

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    1. stephen mathews Avatar
      stephen mathews

      Prof Baby Joseph, thanks for your response.

      Pity that those in power refuse to accept the fact of student decline in admission

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  6. sereneaf2d1d22f5 Avatar
    sereneaf2d1d22f5

    My view is that neither the syllabus nor the disinterest of people to stay here is the reason for migration of students to other states as well as to foreign countries, but the lack of opportunities and the poor infrastructure here. They also do not see any scope for improvement in this regard in the near future.The blame for this situation goes to our politicians who didn’t have any vision, but only played cheap politics for their only personal gain.

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