Kerala Assembly: Opposition attempts to pin down govt for disruptive migration of students to foreign countries

UDF Opposition criticises Kerala government for student exodus to foreign countries, highlighting economic, social, and educational concerns.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Opposition on July 11 tried to pin down the Kerala government in the Assembly for the worrying outflow of students from the State to foreign countries.

The Opposition stormed out of the House, accusing the government of adopting “an ostrich attitude” by disregarding pressing social, educational, economic and political realities that constrained the youth to abandon their homeland and ageing parents for low-grade jobs and substandard education in far-flung countries.

Congress legislator Mathew Kuzhalnadan’s notice for an adjournment debate on the socially, economically and demographically disruptive exodus ignited a heated discussion.

Mr. Kuzhalnadan said Kerala students’ dismal performance in national tests flew in the face of Higher Education Minister R. Bindu’s refrain that the State was the optimal destination for the aspirational youth.

He accused successive Left governments of sacrificing the State’s economic interests on the altar of utopian ideological rigidity. Kerala, for one, missed the boat in turning the State into an economically and socially vibrant IT hub.

Mr. Kuzhalnadan said peer pressure, financial enticements and the surrealistic appeal of living, learning and working in developed and liberal cities prompted the youth exodus.

However, Mr. Kuzhalnadan said many found, to their dismay, that there was no promised land. The high cost of living and education forced students to work weekends and extended hours in low-end jobs, pawn houses or borrow from financially hard-pressed parents to make ends meet.