Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Higher Education Minister Roji M John on Friday reaffirmed the government's commitment to implementing the Rs 1,000 monthly stipend scheme for college-going girls within the current academic year.
Speaking to reporters after announcing the 2026 results of BTech, BDes, and BHMCT examinations of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU), John stated that details of the stipend, a key promise in the UDF's election manifesto, would be included in the upcoming state budget. “Since the budget is just a few days away, I do not wish to elaborate on the implementation details. The scheme will be rolled out immediately, and preliminary work has already begun,” he said.
Responding to opposition criticism that the government remained silent on the governor's alleged attempts to saffronise statutory bodies in state universities, John countered that such interventions began during the previous LDF administration. He asserted that the UDF would not support any form of saffronisation. John further alleged a secret understanding between the governor and former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan regarding university appointments.
Meanwhile, John announced the KTU Technical Education Conclave “SOAR 2026,” scheduled for June 15, 17, and 19 at various institutions across Kerala. He encouraged higher secondary graduates and their parents to attend, describing the conclave as an excellent opportunity to gain deeper insights into the prospects and pathways available in engineering education. The programme will be hosted across 30 engineering colleges in the state.
John also stated that the government and KTU would collaborate to expedite the construction of the university campus and enhance student enrolment at its schools.
