Protests erupt over non-allotment of new science batches in Malappuram

Malappuram: Student organisations in Malappuram have come out against the state government saying that the state has not allocated new science batches in the newly declared extra batches.

General Education Minister V Sivankutty has announced 120 additional batches in the Malappuram district in the wake of a shortage of Plus-One seats. "We have discussed the matter with our senior leaders in the party and the decision of the government to not allocate science batches to the Malappuram district would not be accepted. Muslim Students Federation (MSF) will meet the Education Minister next week and raise our concern over the issue. Many students who wish to take the science stream in Plus-One are worried about the decision of the government. We would also express our protest in not allocating additional plus one batches in Kozhikode and Palakkad districts," MSF State President P K Navas said.

MSF also alleged that the allocated extra batches would not end the seat crisis in Malappuram. Though they allocated new batches, there would still be around 10,000 students left out of the plus-one education in the district, MSF alleged. The organisation also said that the demand for Humanities in the district is less compared to the Science and Commerce batches. Allocating more batches in Humanities only results in vacant seats, Navas said.

Fraternity Movement, the student wing of the Welfare Party has also resumed their protest in plus one issue demanding sufficient seats for the students and a permanent solution to the issue. The organisation has been staging protests on the Kozhikode-Palakkad stretch of the National Highway for the last few days.

The government has allocated fresh batches in 74 schools in Malappuram district. There will be 61 Commerce and 59 Humanities additional batches in the district. The two-member committee appointed by the government has also asked the government to allocate science batches considering the demand.