Kerala budget 2017: Budget is good; some ideas may be tough to accomplish

Budget day began with a happy note for me as I read that the State Planning Board, constituted by the present Government, has recommended that more autonomous colleges should be added to the present list of about 20, approved by the previous Government. In fact, of the 18 reports that the previous Higher Education Council submitted to the Government, the proposal for autonomous colleges was the only one fully implemented. Sensing that the new Government is not in favour of autonomous colleges, universities have begun to impede the working of the existing autonomous colleges.

I hope that the universities will now allow the concerned colleges to exercise academic autonomy, even if it takes a little time for new autonomous colleges to be set up. Speaking of the budget, which I had no time to study in detail, I felt that it was a good budget as I did not find anything objectionable, even though some ideas may be difficult to accomplish. The fact that there are no new taxes itself is a factor that will be universally welcomed. Against the backdrop of demonetization, drought and price rise, a budget of this kind is indeed remarkable.

On higher education, I am happy to note that IT@Colleges that the Council had proposed two years ago is included in the budget. The Council has done a feasibility study, together with costs with the support of IIIT, which can be used immediately, without spending time and money on a new study. The budget proposal to create 2500 new teachers is also a very welcome development. The existing posts should also be filled as soon as possible.

(T.P. Sreenivasan is former vice-chairman of the State Council for Higher Education)