Tag: Keralas

Scientific temper, secularism key parameters of Kerala’s new higher education ranking system

[ad_1]
Thiruvananthapuram: Taking a cue from the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), the CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala is adopting a state-level methodology to assess and rank higher education institutions, for which a key parameter used would be ‘Scientific Temper and Secular Outlook (STSO)’.
Higher Education Minister R Bindu will inaugurate the Kerala Institutional Ranking Framework (KIRF) to assess the level of higher education institutions in the state, on Wednesday.
An official said the Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC) would be the implementing agency and the ranking exercise would be carried out annually.

One of the reasons for setting up such a mechanism was to improve the quality of higher education in the state and check the flow of students going outside the state to pursue their studies, he said.
The KSHEC would invite institutions interested in participating in the ranking exercise to register on the KIRF portal on the KSHEC website, the official said.
Institutions under various categories such as universities and colleges as well as engineering, management, teacher education, pharmacological, medical, dental, law, architecture and nursing institutes can participate in the ranking process.
“If they desire to be included in the discipline-specific ranking list, they can register separately and provide data in a specific format,” KSHEC member secretary Dr Rajan Varughese said.
The data will be uploaded to an online facility created for this purpose. KSHEC with the help of suitably identified partner agencies will undertake the authentication of data, wherever necessary and where feasible.

KSHEC will extract the relevant information from this data and, through software, compute the various metrics. Based on this data, the institutions would be ranked.
The quality benchmark of higher education institutions being set by the public agency would help students and parents to select the right institution in the state for higher studies, Varughese told PTI.
Besides “Scientific Temper and Secular Outlook (STSO)”, the performance parameters are organised into four other broad heads including Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR), Knowledge Dissemination and Research Excellence (KDRE), Graduation Outcome (GO), and Outreach and Inclusivity (OI), officials said.
Under the ‘Scientific Temper and Secular Outlook (STSO)’ head, KIRF will assess the qualitative aspects of the higher education institutions applying for the ranking. Such institutions will have to submit a description in 500 words on the extension activities carried out to impart scientific temper and a secular outlook, and to sensitise students to social issues for their holistic development.
Under the STSO head, the institutions must also submit a description of strategies adopted by it to conserve water and energy, reduce waste and practise effective waste disposal, among other eco-friendly measures.
STSO was included as a criteria for ranking to highlight the importance of scientific temper and secularism in imparting education, a source said. Such a step was taken at a time when discussions are happening at the national level to wind up organisations such as Vigyan Prasar (an autonomous organisation set up by the union government in 1989 for popularising science and promoting scientific temper), the source added.
Officials said the Kerala Institutional Ranking Framework was modelled along the lines of the National Institutional Ranking Framework, a methodology adopted by the union government’s Ministry of Education to rank institutions of higher education in the country.
They said that on the basis of many of the overall quantitative indicators, the higher education scene in Kerala was found to be favourably comparable with the national scene, and in some respects the situation in the state was better than some of the rapidly expanding higher education systems in southern states.
Hailing the Kerala government’s initiative, a higher education expert said the launch of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for higher educational institutions in the country by the Ministry of Education (then MHRD) in 2015 had been a watershed moment in the Indian higher education system.
“Although college and university rankings have been popular in many countries, the introduction of India-specific criteria for a sector that had been witnessing massive growth of institutions and student enrolments during the past decade raised many eyebrows. The NIRF is based on five overall parameters: Teaching, Learning and Resources; Research and Professional Practice; Graduation Outcomes; Outreach and Inclusivity; and Peer Perception.
“Interestingly, by taking a cue from the NIRF, Kerala is going to launch the Kerala Institutional Ranking Framework on May 3. This is the first State-specific ranking initiative for higher education institutions,” the expert told PTI.
Varughese said the state-level institutional ranking framework was formed without altering the core qualities and components of the NIRF. But it also incorporates the socio-cultural heritage and values that the state has sculpted over the period of its democratic era, he said.
He said that the KIRF had been evolved after intense deliberations and collective discussions among scholars of expertise and stakeholders of higher education inside and outside the state of Kerala.
[ad_2]
#Scientific #temper #secularism #key #parameters #Keralas #higher #education #ranking #system
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 2, 2023
Gross exaggeration, distortion of Kerala’s reality: Tharoor slams makers of The Kerala Story

[ad_1]
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday hit out at the makers of the movie “The Kerala Story”, accusing them of indulging in “gross exaggeration” and “distortion” of the state’s reality.
Tharoor’s assertion came in response to those accusing him of double standards over his criticism of the film, referring to his 2021 tweet in which he had said that he had been approached by three Kerala mothers whose daughters are stuck in Afghanistan having been taken there by their misguided husbands.
“The Kerala Story”, starring Adah Sharma, is set to be released in cinemas on May 5. Written and directed by Sudipto Sen, the film is portrayed as “unearthing” the events behind “approximately 32,000 women” allegedly going missing from Kerala.

According to the CPI(M) and the Congress in Kerala, the film falsely claims that the women converted, got radicalised and were deployed in terror missions in India and the world.
In a lengthy Twitter post tagging his 2021 tweet on the three Kerala mothers who had approached him, Tharoor said, “Many are spreading this 2021 tweet of mine as if it undermines my present objections to the trailer and publicity for ‘The Kerala Story’.”
“Yes, I was approached then by three Kerala mothers and was aware of a fourth, and I was open about my concerns about their daughters’ radicalisation. But four cases are a far cry from the 32,000 that the film-makers are alleging,” the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said.
If there really were so many ISIS female members from Kerala, that would mean double the number when you count their husbands, whereas even Western intelligence sources say the number of ALL Indians in ISIS does not approach three figures, Tharoor said.
“This gross exaggeration and distortion of the Kerala reality is what I am objecting to,” he added.

Film’s producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah has said the film is a true story and every scene in the film is true, but it deals with three girls.
“However, we are not changing our stand. If we look at the issue, the number of 32,000 is what we have stated and we are staying by it. But the film is not, so they’re two different things,” he told PTI.
“Since the matter has become sub judice, I would not like to elaborate on that. If we are asked this question… ‘How did we get to this number and everything?’ We’ll answer those questions there (in court),” he said.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had on Sunday slammed the makers of the film, saying they were taking up the Sangh Parivar propaganda of projecting the state as a centre of religious extremism by raising the issue of ‘love jihad’ — a concept rejected by courts, probe agencies and the home ministry.
“The Kerala Story” is backed by Sunshine Pictures Private Limited, founded by Shah, who serves as the producer, creative director and co-writer of the film.
The film’s writer-director Sudipto Sen’s earlier movies are “Aasma”, “Lucknow Times” and “The Last Monk”.
[ad_2]
#Gross #exaggeration #distortion #Keralas #reality #Tharoor #slams #makers #Kerala #Story
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 2, 2023
Three killed in road accident in Kerala’s Wayanad

[ad_1]
Thiruvananthapuram: Three people were killed and three others injured critically in an accident at Kerala’s Wayanad on Sunday after their car fell into a gorge, police said.
The accident occurred at Poozhimada in Kappetta town of Wayanad after the car overturned after hitting an electric post, police said.
The deceased are from Kerala’s Kannur and Kasargod districts. Further details are awaited.

[ad_2]
#killed #road #accident #Keralas #Wayanad
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 23, 2023
SC junks Kerala’s plea against translocation of rogue elephant to tiger reserve

[ad_1]
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a Kerala government plea challenging the state high court order asking it to translocate a rogue elephant to the Parambikulam tiger reserve in the state’s Palakkad district.
The Kerala government, earlier in the day, mentioned the plea for hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and it decided to hear the plea during the day.
During the hearing, the bench, also comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala, observed that the high court had considered the view of the expert committee and passed a reasoned order. However, the state government pressed that the elephant should be sent to a training centre, since it had killed seven people and destroyed several homes.

The bench told the Kerala government counsel that experts have said that the elephant needs to be relocated, while declining to interfere with the high court order. It further added that the committee has suggested something and the state government cannot go over it.
The state government contended that one week was given by the high court to relocate the elephant to an alternative space, and if the state government fails, then it has to be shifted to Parambikulam. Counsel pressed that the government had decided to relocate the elephant to a training centre against the backdrop that the elephant had killed people and destroyed several homes.
After hearing arguments in the matter, the bench declined to entertain the appeal by the state government against the high court order.
The Kerala High Court, last week, declined to review its decision to translocate the rice-eating tusker to the Parambikulam tiger reserve.
On April 5, the high court had directed relocation of the elephant to the tiger reserve in accordance with the suggestion made by the expert committee.

[ad_2]
#junks #Keralas #plea #translocation #rogue #elephant #tiger #reserve
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 17, 2023
Kerala’s first transgender lawyer wants to be voice of the poor, marginalised

[ad_1]
Kochi: A physics graduate, an insurance agent-cum-law student and finally a full fledged lawyer, this is the journey of Kerala’s first transgender advocate who now aims to use her legal acumen to ensure justice for the poor and marginalised.
The journey was not easy and there were obstacles, but her positive attitude and disregard for negativity propelled her forward to achieve the goal of becoming a lawyer — a noble profession according to Padma Lakshmi, Kerala’s first transgender advocate.
“I ignore all forms of negativity, be it people or their comments. I focus on the positive. I believe that is one of my advantages.
“If I focus on the negativity, I will have time only for that and will never move forward in life,” she told PTI.
She also worked as an insurance agent for a private insurance company and LIC to meet her medical and education costs, which included the voluminous legal textbooks.
However, she is also more than happy and eager to share these books and her knowledge with anyone who wants them.
She slowly stopped working as an insurance agent after joining as a trainee with her senior — advocate K V Bhadrakumari — so that she could focus better on her legal career, Lakshmi said.
Lakshmi, who was interning with advocate Bhadrakumari since last November, said that her senior helped create a space for her among the big-wigs of the legal profession in the Kerala High Court.
“I am very grateful to her for that,” she said and added that her senior always tells her that the Constitution is our biggest weapon.
Of the over 1,500 law graduates who got enrolled on Sunday, March 19, Lakshmi was the first one to get her enrollment certificate.
“It was made possible by the members of the Kerala Bar Council. I am happy to be enrolled here as many big-wigs of the legal profession are part of this council and now so am I,” she said.

On her plans for the future, she said that she neither intends to pursue masters in law nor try for the judicial service presently.
“Taking up cases where there has been violation of fundamental rights and fighting to ensure justice for the marginalised, that is my plan and that is my desire right now,” she said.
There are many like Vishwanathan from Wayanad or Madhu from Palakkad and I would like to fight for them, she said.
Vishwanathan (46), a tribal, allegedly hung himself outside the Kozhikode medical college hospital, on February 11, where his wife was admitted for delivery.
He took the extreme step after he was accused of theft and roughed up by some persons, his relatives alleged in their complaint to police.
Similar was the case of Madhu, another tribal man, who was beaten to death in 2018 by some persons for allegedly stealing food articles.
Moreover, as a budding lawyer there is a lot for her to learn about court proceedings and she intends to imbibe all that knowledge, work hard and thereafter, fight to ensure justice for those who are poor and voiceless, she said.
“I have a lot to learn about managing clients and about the law. I have a lot of responsibilities. Also, I need to prove myself through my actions. For that hardwork and honesty are the tools that I need to hone.”
Her family — a mother who is an advocate’s clerk and a father who used to work at Cochin Shipyard Ltd — has been a great source of support in her journey.
“They always encouraged me to pursue my dreams with courage. So why should I fear anything?” she asked.
Meanwhile, state Law Minister P Rajeev and Higher Education Minister R Bindu congratulated Lakshmi on social media for her achievement.
“Congratulations to Padma Lakshmi who overcame all the difficulties in her life and enrolled as the first transgender lawyer in Kerala. May advocate Padma Lakshmi’s life inspire more people from the transgender community to enter the legal profession,” Rajeev said in a Facebook post.
Bindu took to Twitter to convey her best wishes to the budding lawyer.
“It is a matter of immense pride that Padma Lakshmi’s name will now be etched into the history of Kerala, as the state’s first transgender lawyer.
“No doubt she has faced obstacles galore in this journey. But she persevered, never letting any naysayer deter or weigh her down,” she tweeted.
She too expressed hope that Padma Lakshmi’s success would inspire many more trans persons in the state to enter the legal profession.
While Padma Lakshmi is the first transgender lawyer from Kerala, the first trans advocate in the country was Satyashri Sharmila from Tamil Nadu who got enrolled in 2018.
[ad_2]
#Keralas #transgender #lawyer #voice #poor #marginalised
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 21, 2023
Kerala’s apex church body seeks ban on play for showing Christians in poor light

[ad_1]
Kochi: Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC), the apex body of the Catholic Church in the state, has urged the state government to ban the staging of a Malayalam drama alleging that it portrayed Christianity along with its congregations and convents in a bad light.
A recent meeting of bishops and heads of various congregations, chaired by KCBC president Cardinal Baselios Cleemis here, condemned the play ‘Kakkukali’ and opined that its staging was a blot on the culture of Kerala.
A play based on the story of Malayalam writer Francis Noronha, ‘Kakkukali’ revolves around a young nun and her struggles and challenges which she comes across in a convent.
Alappuzha-based Neythal Nataka Sangham gave the story a stage adaptation under the direction of Job Madathil.
In the meeting, the KCBC representatives said drama and literary works have the history of paving the way for reforms, transformations and social upliftment.
But glorifying works with highly derogatory content and distortion of history is unacceptable, the apex body said in a statement.
It was “highly condemnable” that ‘Kakkukali’, which hurt the self-confidence and self-esteem of thousands of nuns and congregations who offer unique services to the society, has been included in the international drama festival of the state government and given huge publicity by the Left outfits, the statement further said.
The Catholic body also urged the cultural society to denounce the play and demanded the government to take immediate steps to ban its staging.

However, Job Madathil, the play’s director, has rejected the criticisms and said the troupe would go ahead with its staging. “The drama was already staged in 15 venues and I did not understand why a protest suddenly broke out now,” he said.
[ad_2]
#Keralas #apex #church #body #seeks #ban #play #showing #Christians #poor #light
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 11, 2023
Kerala’s lottery man makes luck of the draw his life story, the state is all smiles

[ad_1]
Thiruvananthapuram: Last September, 31-year-old Anoop M who won Rs 25 crore in a lottery, was famously heard saying “I wish I had not won.” He said he was hassled by people known and unknown to him asking for financial help. Today, Anoop is a part of the state government’s lottery business and is arguably Kerala’s only crorepati lottery agent.
Anoop, a former auto driver is now busy listing out the serial numbers of the Kerala State Lotteries and contacting prospective clients to sell his tickets.
His sleek iPhone seems stuck to his ear as he is heard interacting with customers in his newly opened lottery retail store ‘M A Lucky Centre’.
Until a few weeks ago, Anoop, winner of the biggest draw in Kerala Lottery history – the Thiruvonam Bumper, was on the run. He was mastering the art of giving the slip to people who sought financial help from him.
He had to constantly shift his place of residence so that needy people would stop crowding his house. As things have calmed down now, his newly won luxurious lifestyle is slowly falling in place.
“Nothing much has changed,” Anoop said while pulling out a bundle of letters and postcards from the cupboard. “I still get countless letters, all asking for financial aid and many still visit my shop asking for help. I am tired,” Anoop, sporting a thick gold bracelet and a thicker gold chain around his neck, told PTI.
Anoop is a glittering microcosm of a Kerala government-owned lottery business which is now creating a millionaire everyday.
The Kerala Lottery department has more than 1 lakh registered agents. Under them there are several unregistered sub-agents and hawkers, effectively making it the livelihood for several lakhs of people in the state.

The total turnover in FY-21 was Rs 7,145.22 crore. Out of that Rs 4,079.28 crore was spent towards prizes, Rs. 1,798.32 crore towards discounts to the agents, and Rs.524.3 crore towards agents’ prizes.
“It is the government’s policy to seek public participation in the government’s social welfare schemes. All the money collected through lottery sales are used for implementing various social welfare schemes of the government,” B T Anil Kumar, publicity officer of the Directorate of State Lotteries, told PTI.
It is not just the Keralites who are keenly purchasing these tickets. The residents of neighboring states and also the sizable migrant labor population in Kerala are regular buyers and many are winners as well.
The ups and downs faced by the state’s lottery winners have even led the lottery directorate to start a training program in financial management for prize winners with the help of the Gulati Institute of Taxation.
“It is the policy of the government to encourage all citizens of this country to be part of the Kerala Lottery. As per the Lottery Act, the tickets can be sold only within the geographical boundaries of Kerala. But anyone who visits the state can purchase a ticket and claim the prize amount by producing the necessary documents and the original of the ticket,” Kumar said.
With a growing customer base, many are now looking to sell lottery tickets as their main occupation.
“I need to pay my house rent with this, fund the education of my children, take care of my husband who is unwell and also take care of myself. I have been selling lotteries for the last 11 years,” Sathi Kumari, who is a lottery hawker near the Padmanabha Swamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram said.
There are several thousand like Kumari who depend on the money they get from the lottery sales to eke out a living.
According to government statistics, the revenue of a lottery worker has gone up from 8.4 percent of ticket sales and commission from prize money per draw in 2019 to 10.69 percent in 2022. “We now have a lottery for all the days of the week, so the revenue of the lottery workers has also gone up. We have also increased the number of tickets available for sale,” Anil Kumar said.
The government also runs a welfare fund for lottery agents and sellers. One percent of the total revenue turnover is earmarked for this fund, which is being used for providing financial assistance for the treatment of the members, providing tri-scooter or beach umbrellas for physically challenged members, and also providing an Onam allowance to all the members. In the last six years, more than Rs 200 crore has been disbursed to the members through this welfare scheme.
Kerala’s state-owned lottery system was launched during the second term of the EMS Namboodiripad government in 1967, with an aim to boost state revenue and also to provide a stable income model for the unemployed and differently-abled persons. It now has prize money from Rs 100 to Rs 25 crore through its daily and six bumper lotteries.
A comprehensive security system with watermarks, security codes and safety numbers on tickets, ensure safety and prevent counterfeiting, rigging or other malpractices, officials said, adding that the prize money is distributed only after the security wing of the lottery directorate examines the physical ticket for any irregularity.
Lottery is legal in over a dozen states in India and the remaining states have banned sale of lottery tickets. Despite criticism from some quarters including from Governor Arif Mohammed Khan who had said Kerala was making its poor people spend their earnings on lottery tickets and getting them addicted to alcohol, the state government promoted its lottery business briskly and earned revenues of over Rs 7,000 crore last year.
Gleaming with delight over people like Anoop joining the lottery business, Anil Kumar said “It’s truly inspirational that Anoop thought of becoming a lottery agent. It will inspire other youngsters also to take up lottery selling as a viable livelihood option, despite their financial status.” PTI KPK VPS SA
[ad_2]
#Keralas #lottery #man #luck #draw #life #story #state #smiles
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 23, 2023
Centre’s policy root cause of Kerala’s economic crisis: FM Balagopal

[ad_1]
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal, during the budget presented by him in the State Assembly here on Friday, attacked the BJP-led Centre by alleging that its policy was the root cause of the economic crisis in the southern state.
In his budget speech, Balagopal claimed that the centralisation of power and disregard for states, especially Kerala, has increased in an unprecedented manner.
Launching a scathing attack on the Centre, Balagopal, also a prominent leader of the state’s ruling CPI(M), said that change in fiscal federalism that goes against the spirit of the Constitution was a more serious threat than any other issue.
“During the tenure of the 10th Finance Commission, the share of Kerala was 3.875 per cent of the divisible pool to be distributed among the states. By the time of the 15th Finance Commission, it came down to 1.925 per cent. Through this, the Union government cut down the revenue of Kerala by tens of thousands of crores,” he charged.
The minister said there is a shortfall of around Rs 6,700 crore due to the reduction of the Revenue Deficit Grant by the Union government.
“As a result of the cessation of GST compensation, there has been a shortfall of around Rs 7,000 crore during the current fiscal. As a result of the policy of the Union government treating Public Accounts as debt liability, there is a revenue loss of around Rs 10,000 crore per annum,” Balagopal said.
He said the policy of treating the liability of institutions like Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), Social Security Pension Limited, etc., which raise funds from outside the budgetary allocation as that of the state, is also limiting the government’s borrowing capacity.
“There will also be a shortfall of Rs 3,100 crore on this account. Due to the restriction on the market borrowing limit, there has been a shortfall of around Rs 4,000 crore in the resource mobilisation,” the minister said.
He said it is anticipated that the fiscal constraints in 2023-2024 will be more than that of the current year. “This is because of the anticipated shortage of Rs 8,400 crore in Revenue Deficit Grant compared to 2022-23, the loss of around Rs 5,700 crore due to the cessation of GST compensation, the resource loss of around Rs 5,000 crore due to the restriction on the borrowing limit as well as the reduction on account of the debt likely to be borne by KIIFB and the Social Security Pension company during next year,” Balagopal said.

As the state recovers from the economic crisis and is on the path of growth, the fiscal policy of the Union government will adversely affect growth prospects, he added.
Stating that Kerala is countering serious constraints, he said in the current scenario, the state cannot surpass the strict and rigid norms stipulated by the Centre.
“The taxation powers of the state are limited. The borrowing powers are also strictly restricted. We have to understand the situation and move forward irrespective of party politics,” he said.
Balagopal said the state government was not of the opinion that loans should be given to debt-ridden corporates from the hard-earned money of common people by investing it in various financial institutions.
“Our opinion is that the Central and the State governments shall carry out more developmental, welfare activities by availing more loans. But the Union government is reluctant to relax the conservative stance,” he said.
Balagopal said the Left government considers the conservative financial policy enforced by the Union government as the biggest challenge to the alternative development model of Kerala.
“But we are not ready to abandon our alternative model or its virtues in spite of the hurdles posed by the Union government. Kerala has not reached here without facing any crisis,” he said.
A significant change towards the financial developmental planning approach is required to survive this new situation that has arisen due to the curtailing of the fiscal space, he added.
[ad_2]
#Centres #policy #root #Keralas #economic #crisis #Balagopal
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 3, 2023