Sanskrit University Faces Allegations Over Irregular Admission of SFI Activist
Thiruvananthapuram's Sanskrit University has become embroiled in a significant controversy following revelations that an SFI activist who had failed his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) examination was admitted to the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) programme through an unusual decision by the university syndicate. According to Save University Campaign Committee (SUCC) chairman R S Sasikumar, the syndicate took the unprecedented step of declaring the student as having passed the BFA despite his academic failure.
Petition Submitted to Governor Demanding Action
The SUCC has formally submitted a detailed petition to the governor, demanding immediate action against acting vice-chancellor K K Geetha Kumari for what they allege is a failure to uphold university regulations. The committee has specifically requested the annulment of the syndicate's controversial decision to declare the failed student as passed, arguing that this sets a dangerous precedent for academic standards.
Two-Decade-Old Failure and Irregular Admission
The case involves A Kalesh, an SFI activist who discontinued his studies in 2005 after failing the four-year BFA examination in mural painting. Despite this academic setback, he was admitted to the MFA programme in 2021 under the tenure of former vice-chancellor Dharmaraj Adat, without having passed the essential BFA qualification. The syndicate, chaired by acting VC K K Geetha Kumari, later decided to treat this as a special case and declared the student as having passed the BFA since he completed the MFA programme in 2023.
Examination Department's Resistance and Political Allegations
The university's examination department had withheld the student's MFA results for two consecutive years due to the absence of a valid BFA certificate. This marks the first instance in university history where a student's application from twenty years ago has been reconsidered in such a manner. Sasikumar emphasized that standard admission protocols requiring verification of BFA pass certificates during MFA admissions were completely bypassed in this case.
Despite department teachers being fully aware that the student had not passed the BFA examination, allegations suggest that political influence played a decisive role in securing his MFA admission. Former VC Dharmaraj Adat's attempt to publish the examination results of the irregularly admitted student was reportedly thwarted by strong opposition from the examination department, ultimately leading the syndicate itself to declare the student as having passed the BFA.
Political Pressure and Broader Concerns
Sasikumar has made serious allegations that the acting vice-chancellor yielded to pressure from CPM members within the syndicate. These same syndicate members, who are reportedly preparing to lease university land to a private agency for stadium construction and rushing through faculty appointments before the government's term ends, are accused of orchestrating the decision to pass the SFI activist who failed his examinations two decades ago.
This controversy raises fundamental questions about academic integrity, political interference in educational institutions, and the maintenance of standardized admission procedures in higher education. The case has drawn attention to potential systemic issues within university governance and the need for transparent, merit-based academic processes that uphold institutional credibility and student fairness.
