SFI Resists Saffronisation of Kerala Campuses
Adarsh M Saji
KERALA has long stood as a frontrunner in Indian higher education. National quality assessment agencies like the NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) and the NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) have consistently affirmed the state's achievements, with Kerala's universities reaching significant milestones and gaining national recognition.
Three of Kerala’s universities – along with NIT Kozhikode – have earned placements in the prestigious “overall” category, which evaluates institutions across the country. Kerala University secured a position in the top 50, while MG University, NIT Kozhikode, and CUSAT ranked within the top 100. In the specific category of universities, Kerala University, MG University, CUSAT, and Calicut University all feature in the top 100. Further, 14 colleges from Kerala made it to the list of the top 100 colleges nationally, including three government institutions – University College Thiruvananthapuram, Maharaja’s College Ernakulam, and Women’s College Thiruvananthapuram – all ranking within the top 75. Notably, University College Thiruvananthapuram has retained its position as the top-ranked institution in the state for six consecutive years while also maintaining a strong national ranking.
These achievements are not coincidental. They reflect the impact of Kerala’s sustained and transformative public investment in education. The state government’s revolutionary interventions – focusing on equity, access, and academic quality – have created a higher education ecosystem that is both inclusive and forward-looking.
One of Kerala's most notable successes is its gender parity in higher education. In fact, it has surpassed parity: of the 1.3 million students currently enrolled in higher education in the state, over 750,000 are women – making Kerala a national model for women's access to higher education.
Additionally, Kerala is becoming an increasingly attractive destination for international students. In the current academic year alone, Kerala University received 2,620 applications from students across 81 countries. MG University received 982 applications and CUSAT 1,761. In total, there has been a consistent increase in international applications and admissions over the past four years. Among these applicants, 1,265 sought undergraduate programmes, 1,020 postgraduate courses, and 335 applied for PhD programmes. Students are arriving from across Africa, the Americas, Russia, France, Iran, Iraq, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. Further, 205 international students from 52 countries – including Colombia, Peru, and the USA – are currently studying in Kerala through ICCR scholarships or self-financing.
However, despite this exemplary record, Kerala's universities are put under trouble – due to political interference by the governor, who acts as chancellor of state universities. This interference, which is unconstitutional, could destabilise campuses. The state recently witnessed a powerful student movement, sparked by fresh tensions in the higher education sector. Academic activities, which had only just begun to stabilise following a prolonged period of unrest triggered by the "arrogant interventions" of former Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, are now once again being disrupted – this time under the leadership of the current Governor, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who appears to be following a similar script. At the heart of this renewed conflict is the Governor’s alleged misuse of his powers as chancellor to facilitate the ideological infiltration of universities by Sangh Parivar-affiliated organisations. Despite repeated admonitions from the Kerala High Court and other constitutional bodies declaring these actions illegal, Raj Bhavan continues on a defiant and confrontational course.
The immediate flashpoint for the current wave of unrest in Kerala’s higher education sector is the Kerala University vice-chancellor’s unilateral decision to suspend Registrar Dr K S Anilkumar – without the approval of the university syndicate, which holds the statutory authority to appoint or take disciplinary action against the registrar. This controversial move is widely viewed as retaliatory, following the registrar’s objection to the display of a saffron-clad woman's portrait in the Senate Hall – an act that contravened university regulations.
Vice-Chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal’s actions have drawn intense criticism, with many accusing him of trying to transform the Kerala University headquarters into an ideological outpost of the RSS. His move is seen as an example of “excessive loyalty” to Raj Bhavan. Those familiar with university governance assert that the registrar merely upheld institutional norms. The suspension order was issued using powers not legally vested in the temporary vice-chancellor.
In response, the syndicate swiftly convened a special meeting and overturned the suspension. The Kerala High Court upheld this decision, rejecting the vice-chancellor’s legal challenge and reaffirming that the syndicate holds final authority in such matters. The court also clarified that, in the absence of the VC or pro-vice-chancellor, a senior syndicate member is authorised to preside over meetings – thus validating the syndicate’s action.
The High Court’s ruling is a significant blow to Vice-Chancellor Kunnummal and his backers, dealing a legal setback to the politically motivated overreach driven by Raj Bhavan. Across Kerala, students and academic communities are alarmed at the systematic erosion of university autonomy and the creeping ideological influence of the Sangh Parivar.
This growing unrest culminated in large-scale student protests, with the Students' Federation of India (SFI) leading state-wide demonstrations against the saffronisation of academic institutions. At Kerala University, hundreds of SFI activists stormed the campus, demanding the resignation of Acting Vice-Chancellor Kunnummal and protesting Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar’s ongoing interference.
At Kannur University, SFI members broke through police barricades and braved water cannons in a sit-in protest at the VC’s office. At Calicut University, students clashed with police while attempting to march to the administrative block. SFI has made it clear that this struggle is not merely about individual decisions or appointments; it is about safeguarding the secular and democratic ethos of Kerala’s public education system.
The controversy intensified further after Calicut University Vice-Chancellor P Raveendran, appointed in 2024 by then-Governor Arif Mohammad Khan (reportedly against the wishes of the Left-led state government), participated in a delegates' conference of Seva Bharati, an RSS-affiliated organisation. Meanwhile, Governor Arlekar's efforts to bypass due process and install ideologically aligned figures in key university positions have faced legal and public backlash. His attempts to appoint K Sivaprasad as VC of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) and Sisa Thomas at the Digital University were met with widespread protest and judicial intervention. The Kerala High Court recently upheld a Single Bench verdict invalidating such temporary appointments made without following legal procedures. The court reaffirmed that acting VCs cannot serve beyond six months without proper reappointment, thereby reinforcing the rule of law in university governance.
These patterns of interference, arbitrary appointments, and ideological infiltration have drawn a strong and coordinated response from SFI. Thirty-four of its leaders – including Kerala state secretary Sanjeev P S and central executive committee member Adarsh S K – were arrested and detained for several days during the protests. Their message is clear: this is a fight to protect the integrity of Kerala’s higher education.
In stark contrast, the Congress-led UDF has aligned itself with the BJP-RSS agenda, failing to oppose the saffronisation of universities. Opposition leader V D Satheesan even went so far as to label SFI’s resistance "goonda activity," prompting student leaders to ask, “Is he V D Satheesan or V D Savarkar?”
SFI Kerala has shown exceptional courage and determination in resisting the RSS's ideological project. This struggle is not isolated. At the national level, India's higher education system is facing a crisis. Ten Central Universities – including the prestigious Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and Visva-Bharati – have been without full-time vice-chancellors for over six months. The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has lacked a permanent VC since July 2024. Even the University Grants Commission (UGC) remains without a full-time chairperson, with responsibilities handled by the secretary of higher education in an interim capacity.
This vacuum raises serious concerns about the union government’s commitment to academic excellence. The growing perception is that ideological loyalty particularly with the RSS, rather than academic merit, is driving appointments – risking the installation of underqualified individuals in key positions and stalling the development of India’s educational landscape.
SFI has vowed to remain at the forefront of resistance to this dangerous agenda. This is a struggle between students and the RSS, between democracy and authoritarianism, between secularism and communalism.
And in this struggle – for education, for democracy, for the soul of the republic – students will win. Democracy will win. Secularism will win.
