THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition on Thursday walked out of the assembly in protest against the government’s “negative attitude” towards addressing “unregulated” overseas migration of students and its “huge” social and economic impact on the state.
Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan, who moved the notice to discuss the matter through an adjournment motion, said as per the Kerala Migration Survey, overseas student migration from Kerala rose from 1.29 lakh in 2018 to 2.5 lakh in 2023. He said the overseas migration of students was mainly due to the stagnation of the Kerala economy. Absence of better living standards, freedom and a cultured and liberal environment in the state were also driving students overseas, said Kuzhalnadan.
Lamenting the quality of education in the state, he said a little over 1% of admissions in IITs were from Kerala, and the success rate of students from the state in the NEET-UG entrance exam was also on the decline.
However, Higher Education Minister R Bindu disputed the statistics cited by the MLA and said only around 35,000 to 40,000 students from Kerala were migrating abroad annually. Quoting the figures that were tabled in Parliament, Bindu said Kerala’s share in the all-India student migration figure was just 4%.
“The government cannot prevent student migration as it is part of globalisation. Instead, the government is trying to provide world-class quality and infrastructure in the state’s higher education sector,” said Bindu. She said most of the students migrating abroad are engaged in ‘low paying’ jobs – to support their education – which they are not willing to take up in Kerala. She said developed countries have liberalised the rules governing entry of students as they are short of human resources to tide over their economic crises.
Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan alleged funds to the tune of Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 crore were being “siphoned” from the state every year on account of student migration. He said families are forced to cough up Rs 35-40 lakh each to facilitate overseas admissions of their children.
Nine people were arrested and remanded in judicial custody in connection with attack on DYFI members at Nagaroor on Monday, Finance Minister K N Balagopal told the assembly on behalf of CM Pinarayi Vijayan. Reading the CM’s reply to MLA V Joy’s submission, Balagopal said seven DYFI members were attacked by a group of about 20 KSU-Youth Congress workers. Two of the injured are in serious condition and their lives are sustained with the support of the ventilator. The main accused Muhammed Suhail is involved in 10 criminal cases. Two minor boys were arrested and released on bail by the Juvenile Justice Board.
A war of words broke out between Minister M B Rajesh and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan on the final day of the current assembly session on Thursday. Rajesh flayed Satheesan for making “factually incorrect” statements while the Congress leader asked Rajesh not to don the Speaker’s role. It was Satheesan’s comments on Higher Education Minster R Bindu’s response to the Opposition’s notice for adjournment motion that irked Rajesh. Accusing Satheesan of speaking in a ‘taunting’ and ‘scornful’ manner to Bindu and Health Minister Veena George, Rajesh advised him to do some ‘self-introspection’ on his behaviour and correct himself. In respnse, Satheesan said it was well known for whom words such as ‘arrogant’ and ‘scornful’ fit well.
