Kerala education minister justifies migration of students to foreign countries as global phenomenon, faces criticism

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Higher Education minister R Bindu has justified the mass exodus of Malayali students to foreign countries as a global phenomenon.

While the opposition Congress accused that the poor socio-economic situations of Kerala and the falling standards of higher education in the state, were the reasons why students move abroad for studies, BJP's students wing ABVP criticised the minister saying she is trying to be a brand ambassador of foreign education by justifying it instead of ensuring quality education here.

The Congress staged a walkout in the Assembly on Thursday after permission was denied for an adjournment motion on the matter.

Replying to the adjournment motion notice, the minister said the migration of students from Kerala was comparatively low at four percent of the total Indian students migrating. The opportunity to work along with studies is the major attraction in studying abroad. The state government has also introduced options for earning while learning and offers a four-year degree programmes matching international standards. NAAC accreditation and high rankings for universities in Kerala indicate the good quality education here, she said.

The Congress pointed out that the wages in Kerala are much lower compared to other states, which is due to the poor economic growth in the state. The students going abroad for studies are settling down there. Kerala is becoming a home of elderly people.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan said that since students who go abroad for studies were settling there the state was also losing remittance. Moreover, there was no regulation in student migration. Instead of addressing this issue, the government was trying to justify it, he added.

Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan who gave notice for the adjournment motion said the deteriorating quality of education in Kerala was evident from the fact that the number of Malayali students qualifying in the national level competitive exams were falling in the recent years.

The ABVP later criticised in a statement that the government was supporting agencies facilitating student migration and alleged that a top official of a student migration consultant was made the syndicate member of an open university under the state government.