Keralam minister Roji warns of ‘divisive agendas’ in higher education on Teachers’ Day

Keralam Higher Education Minister Roji M. John used Teachers’ Day to warn that university leaders should not align themselves with organisations promoting what he called divisive agendas.

In a Facebook post, Roji said higher education institutions should serve as centres of independent thought and constitutional values. He said it was “not at all befitting of a democratic society” for their heads to forget the dignity of their positions and confine themselves to platforms associated with narrow political interests.

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It is not at all befitting of a democratic society that those heading institutions of higher education, which should be centres of independent thought and constitutional values, forget the dignity of the positions they hold and confine themselves to platforms of organisations that promote divisive agendas.

His remarks came amid differences between the Keralam government and Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who serves as chancellor of the state’s universities. The dispute covers issues including the appointment of vice-chancellors and the nomination of Senate members. It also gained an ideological dimension after some vice-chancellors attended an RSS programme with its chief, Mohan Bhagwat, in June. Roji had criticized their participation, saying a vice-chancellor’s position represented academic and administrative neutrality.

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Such tendencies, which surrender the privilege of academic autonomy before narrow political interests, question the very essence of education and teaching.

The minister said Teachers’ Day should remind educators of their responsibility to build generations grounded in humanity and free from discrimination. Referring to students humiliated because of their caste, he said those responsible had failed to understand the essence of teaching. “Those who, sitting inside a staff room, humiliated and insulted a student by calling the student by their caste name and drove them towards ending their life are people who failed to understand the essence of teaching,” he said.

Roji invoked Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, whose birthday India observes as Teachers’ Day, as well as educators and teachers including Rabindranath Tagore, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Sukumar Azhikode, O.N.V. Kurup, M.G.S. Narayanan and M. Leelavathy. He praised teachers who dispel darkness with knowledge and uphold constitutional values and humanity.

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Those who, sitting inside a staff room, humiliated and insulted a student by calling the student by their caste name and drove them towards ending their life are people who failed to understand the essence of teaching.