Thiruvananthapuram: In a decisive move aimed at curbing malpractice and maintaining discipline in campuses, Kerala University has directed all affiliated college principals to deny admission to students facing criminal charges or those previously debarred from examinations.
The directive, issued by the university’s Syndicate Sub-committee chaired by Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal, comes in the wake of rising concerns that certain students, after dropping out, are re-enrolling in academic programs not for educational purposes but to pursue organizational or disruptive activities within colleges.
As part of the new measure, students seeking admission to undergraduate programs will now be required to submit a sworn affidavit affirming that they are not involved in any criminal proceedings or disciplinary actions. Principals have been granted the authority to revoke admission if a student is found to have violated the affidavit. However, the College Council will hold the final say in such cases to ensure procedural fairness.
The university pointed to a recent instance where a student, previously debarred for three years after being caught using WhatsApp to cheat in an examination, attempted to gain re-entry into another course. The re-admission was subsequently cancelled by the university, underscoring the institution’s zero-tolerance stance on malpractice.
According to officials, the new directive is not intended to punish students unfairly but to safeguard the academic environment from misuse. “Colleges are spaces of learning and growth, not grounds for organizational agendas or repeated misconduct,” an official noted, stressing that the rule is meant to protect genuine learners and uphold the credibility of the university.
The decision has sparked discussions in academic circles, with some welcoming the move as necessary for campus discipline, while others have raised concerns about the possibility of misuse and the need to balance justice with reform opportunities for students.
For now, Kerala University has made its position clear: students with tainted records will not find an easy route back into its classrooms.