THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Center has sent a letter to Kerala, urging the approval of the National Education Policy to safeguard Rs. 700 crore assistance for the state's higher education sector. Despite earlier offers to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by accepting the central policy, Kerala remained unyielding. After the MoU was signed without consensus on the education policy, the Center once again reached out to the Chief Secretary of Higher Education. Notably, the letter does not specify a deadline for signing. Reports from 'Kerala Kaumudi' highlighted the situation of the Rs. 700 crore aid due to the absence of an education policy.

100 crore aid to universities

- The central assistance of Rs. 700 crore is earmarked for infrastructure development, teacher training and research in universities, government, aided and autonomous colleges.
- Out of the previously allocated Rs 565 crore across two phases, Rs. 81 crore is pending. The exception was granted by the Center when applying for the third phase. Development projects funded by the aid are underway in 161 institutions.
- The aid to universities previously ranging from 20 to 50 crores, has been augmented to 100 crores this time. Similarly, colleges received funds ranging from 2 crores to 5 crores.
- While plans have been formulated for Kerala, Calicut, and Sanskrit Universities, the Center has not yet received these documents.
- The funding scheme operates on a 60% central and 40% state sharing basis.

Challenges over Central Policy implementation

- Kerala asserts that the national education policy cannot be uniformly implemented particularly in enforcing a compulsory four-year degree.
- Conflict arises from the central policy's stipulation that allowing exits from the first year of a four-year degree would potentially lead to college closures in the absence of enrolled students.
- The central policy also permits students to transfer their current credits to any university or college, a regulation that Kerala finds challenging to accommodate.