Uniform academic, exam calendar for all Kerala universities under consideration 

Kerala Higher Education Minister R. Bindu has announced that 4-year degree courses will begin next academic year; existing batches to complete in three years; new syllabus to include constitutional values, social justice, environment and gender

The first batch of the four-year degree courses will begin only from the next academic year. Existing degree batches will complete in three years itself, Higher Education Minister R. Bindu has said.

Addressing a meeting of college Principals and management representatives in Thrissur on Saturday, she said a uniform academic-examination calendar for all universities in the State was under consideration.

“The arrangements for starting four-year degree courses are ready. The Higher Education department will give the rules and regulations to the universities. The universities can implement these directives with necessary modifications. There will be changes in the post graduate courses too once the four-year degree courses come into effect,” the Minister said.

Subjects, including constitutional values, social justice, environment and gender would be included on the syllabus. Institutions could make necessary modifications. The student community had been demanding more time to spend in laboratories after class-room studies. Colleges could make necessary steps to meet these demands. Permission would be granted to autonomous colleges to start new courses, she said.

The government wanted to improve the quality of higher education with the support of all sectors, including self-financing institutions. Institutions needed to focus on infrastructure and wages of teachers. Teachers of self-financing institutions would be provided training as part of quality improvement.