Punalur: The dream of an eminent academician who held top posts in reputed institutions to establish a world-class institution in his native place is being crushed by some officials at the Kerala University.
Dr. P A Mathew, belonging to Punalur, had planned to set up ‘Grace international academy’ on five acres of land he owned at Musavarikunnu. Mathew, who was economics department head at Christ College, Bengaluru, associate professor at Symbiosis, Hyderabad and director of MBA section at FISAT, Angamaly, launched official procedures for the purpose in August, 2015.
Now, three years have gone by and around Rs 3 crore has been spent, but Mathew, who has an MPhil and PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University, is in despair. He has had to move court for each and every step he took to realise his dream.
Mathew, belonging to a family which boasts of a long line of eminent academicians, feeling the need to make a significant contribution to his native place, submitted an application to start a self-financing institution at Musavarikunnu to Kerala University on August 20, 2015. The plan was to offer two streams of BCom, BBM and BA Economics.
Court battles
After an inspection, the University registrar issued a letter of consent on July 5, 2016. However, the no objection certificate (NOC) was not forthcoming and Mathew approached the High Court. On August 5 that year, the court ordered the university to issue Mathew a provisional affiliation.
However, the LDF government came out with an order on August 22 which said it was not sanctioning new self-financing colleges. Citing this order, the university rejected Mathew’s application, though he had completed all procedures before the government decision.
Mathew again approached the court. On December 21, 2016, while pronouncing its verdict on a spate of petitions in this regard, the High Court quashed the government order on self-financing colleges.
Following the court’s directive, a team from the university carried out an inspection at Mathew’s institution. In February 2017, the team submitted its report which highlighted several shortcomings, including an incomplete building, lack of library and non-appointment of faculty. Mathew wasted no time in addressing these issues and officially informed the university the next month itself of the matter.
But the university authorities continued with their lackadaisical attitude, forcing Mathew to seek legal recourse yet again. This time, the High Court appointed an advocate commission, which visited the college and submitted a report favourable to Mathew in August 2017.
While considering the case on September 26, a single bench of the court directed the university to issue Mathew’s college provisional affiliation before December 31 and allow admissions for the 2018-19 academic year.
The university moved the division bench against this order. However, refusing to intervene, the division bench ruled on January 8 this year that the review petition should be filed before the single bench.
While considering the contempt of court petition, the university’s counsel informed the court that a review would be filed. But even after a month, there has been no action.
The Kerala University’s present stand is that sanction for an application filed back in 2015 cannot be given in 2018. If the university raises such technical non-issues, admissions for the 2018-19 session would also not be possible, rues Mathew.
While Mathew’s application has reached nowhere even after three years, Calicut University gave its nod to start eight colleges, MG University to one institution and Kerala University itself to another college.
