Kochi: In a strong statement emerging from its recent Monsoon Conference, the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) underscored both its enduring legacy and growing frustrations within the state’s educational ecosystem. The Church leadership, while reaffirming its commitment to quality education, called for immediate policy reforms to safeguard the rights of minority-managed institutions and ensure smoother operational autonomy.
Catholic educational institutions, which have long been pillars of academic excellence and social empowerment in Kerala, were lauded by the bishops as beacons of values-based learning. The KCBC acknowledged that the public has consistently recognized and respected the Church's educational contributions over decades. However, the bishops expressed growing unease over government practices that they say increasingly undermine the constitutional rights of minority-run schools and colleges.
One of the central demands raised by the KCBC was the need for the state government to facilitate the elevation of eligible autonomous Catholic colleges to "deemed-to-be university" status. The bishops argued that such recognition would not only acknowledge the academic excellence of these institutions but also empower them to expand their curriculum, research opportunities, and global collaborations without excessive administrative constraints.
"The path to academic innovation and excellence should not be obstructed by bureaucratic inertia. Deemed status would grant deserving institutions the flexibility to modernize and compete at national and international levels," the council noted in its resolution.
The KCBC also highlighted serious concerns regarding the prolonged delays in approval of faculty appointments in aided Catholic institutions. Of particular concern is the government's rigid insistence on first filling a quota for differently-abled candidates—without ensuring that a sufficient pool of applicants from that category is available.
The bishops clarified that Catholic managements are fully committed to social inclusion and ready to hire differently-abled candidates as per government lists. However, they urged the authorities to adopt a more pragmatic approach when no eligible candidates are available.
“The current policy bottlenecks not only create staffing shortages but also disrupt the academic calendar and burden existing faculty,” the statement added. “Appointments that have been pending for years must be regularized without delay, and institutions should not be penalized for systemic limitations in candidate availability.”
KCBC warned that unless timely interventions are made, the future of minority-run institutions—which cater to lakhs of students across the state—could be jeopardized. The Church called upon the Kerala government to reaffirm its constitutional commitment to minority rights in education and to engage in dialogue with management representatives to resolve the impasse.
“The Catholic Church has always been a committed partner in Kerala’s educational journey. We are not merely administrators—we are stakeholders in the intellectual and moral shaping of future generations,” the KCBC concluded. As the council prepares for upcoming initiatives under the Church Renewal and 2025 Jubilee programs, education reform is expected to remain a central pillar of its social engagement.