Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hosted a three-hour interaction that allowed college students to share ideas on how to solve state issues, but the CM was reportedly disappointed with some of the suggestions that were made, The Hindu reports. The CM was listening to their ideas as part of the first Student Leaders' Conclave that was held in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. The initiative was launched as part of the state's rebuilding process post the floods in 2018-19.
Nearly 500 student delegates attended the conclave. Union office bearers of seven universities and their affiliated colleges as well as officials of the Higher Education Department also attended the meeting.
The CM appreciated some of the ideas, which included suggestions for waste management systems in rural and coastal areas, a permanent unit of the State Disaster Management Authority in Kuttanad which is frequently flooded, utilising technical expertise of students for the rebuilding process and so on.
But then the CM expressed disappointment with the quality of some suggestions, such as withdrawing welfare pension schemes, caste-based reservation and imposing one-child family plans, according to the Hindu.
The students also raised academic concerns. Some asked for ways to enable students to internally assess teachers in colleges and to ensure jobs for all graduates. The CM in his response also said that there was a need to maintain discipline in all educational institutes.
KT Jaleel, higher education minister, responded to a question raised against the government's plan to launch a student leadership tour to the UK. He justified the idea saying that the government was socially responsible in identifying the needs of the students, in giving them exposure to global practices. The initiative was now restricted to union leaders of government colleges but would soon be expanded to other colleges, he said.