Knowledge valley, tribal varsity to transform higher education sector in Kerala

Kochi/Kozhikode: Higher education sector features as a key priority area of the state govt in the revised state budget. Several ambitious projects intended for transforming the state into a major knowledge and research hub as well as to arrest the growing trend of student migration from Kerala have been announced.The flagship proposal in the sector is the establishment of the Kerala Knowledge Valley, envisioned as a world-class higher education city that will bring together academic programmes, research parks and centres of excellence under a single ecosystem. The govt has allocated Rs 100 crore for the project. The proposed Knowledge Valley aims to attract leading national and international universities through a specialised legislative framework.Chief minister V D Satheesan said the initiative would create opportunities for students to access world-class education within Kerala while also promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and industry-academia collaboration. To facilitate the project, amendments to the Private University Bill will be introduced.The govt also proposed the establishment of the Wayanad Tribal University and Indigenous Knowledge Zone with an allocation of Rs 50 crore.

The institution is envisaged as a centre for indigenous studies, tribal entrepreneurship, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience and skill development. The project seeks to integrate education with livelihoods and social development while preserving the cultural heritage and traditional knowledge systems of tribal communities.

A committee will be constituted to prepare recommendations on the university’s structure and implementation of roadmap.Experts welcomed setting up a tribal university in Wayanad but with a caveat that it should provide courses which address the tribal needs and population. “A tribal university is a progressive step but teaching conventional courses should not be the goal. The university should address the tribal needs as well as the tribal population,” said Amruth G Kumar, professor of education, Central University of Kerala.Tribal education activist M Geethanandan of Adishakthi Summer School said, “Rather than just another university, the tribal university should provide efficient educational pathways for students from tribal communities.

It can emulate institutions such as the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University by creating an educational continuum from secondary schooling to undergraduate education. Tribal stakeholders must also play a key role in shaping the institution.

”The budget also proposes a Research Park modelled on the IIT Madras Research Park with an allocation of Rs 60 crore. The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration between higher education institutions, industries and research organizations, enabling scientific innovations to be translated into practical solutions and commercial ventures.A Kerala School of Planning, Architecture and Design will be established under a public-private partnership model with an allocation of Rs 2 crore. Additionally, specialised research institutions focusing on satellite technology will be promoted. The govt will also launch a six-month Caregiver Certificate Course through nursing colleges and selected hospitals.A new scheme titled Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Scientific Temper will be introduced to promote scientific awareness among students and transform Kerala into a global knowledge hub.

An allocation of Rs 25 crore is made for this.Meanwhile, historian and former vice-chairman of Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC) Rajan Gurukkal criticised the proposals. He said they lacked originality and were largely a repackage of existing initiatives. He said a new budget should emerge from a serious appraisal of the shortcomings of the current system but such critical evaluation was lacking.Gurukkal said the ‘Semester in Kerala’ programme merely repackages the existing ‘Study in Kerala’ initiative. He noted that employability-oriented measures such as internships, add-on courses and the ‘Earn While You Learn’ scheme are part of the existing Four-Year Undergraduate Programme.