THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An RTI document obtained by the Save University Campaign Committee reveals that Ernakulam Maharaja’s College has been functioning without UGC approval since March 2020, raising concerns over the validity of degrees awarded by the institution.

According to the document, the college's autonomous status, which was granted by the University Grants Commission (UGC), expired in March 2020. Despite this, the college authorities failed to apply for the necessary renewal, sparking fears that exams conducted post-2020 may be deemed invalid. Degrees awarded by MG University, based on recommendations from the college principal, are now under scrutiny.

The Save University Campaign Committee has expressed alarm that this oversight was not addressed, even though the principal of Maharaja’s College is also a member of the MG University Syndicate. The committee has submitted a petition to the Chief Minister and the Minister for Higher Education, demanding immediate action. They have called for the college to be placed under the direct control of MG University if the autonomous status is not restored.

Concerns over the college’s autonomy stretch back to 2014, when the then-UDF government decided to grant autonomous status to both Thiruvananthapuram University College and Ernakulam Maharaja’s College. While the UGC inspection team that visited University College was obstructed by student protests, Maharaja’s College was successfully inspected and granted autonomy, valid until March 2020.

There are also allegations that a section of students and faculty at Maharaja’s College are misusing the autonomy, particularly in areas such as syllabus approval, exam preparation, evaluation and result declaration, which are managed internally by the college.

The committee’s petition urges the university to halt the awarding of degrees based on the principal’s recommendations until a review is conducted. They are also calling for an investigation into the conduct of admissions, classes and examinations post-2020, to ensure the integrity of the college’s academic programs.