No new legislation for Self-Financing Colleges: Baby

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 6 (UNI) Kerala Education Minister M A Baby today said the government has no plans to bring in new legislation to replace the Self Financing Professional Colleges Act and was instead thinking of an Ordinance for reservations in these colleges.

Stating the government would appeal in the Supreme Court against the Kerala High Court verdict quashing key provisions of the Kerala Self Financing Professional Colleges Act, he said the government would consider an Ordinance, after talks with political parties.

Mr Baby said the entrance test for professional courses would be held from April 23 to 27. The prospectus would be published in time and it would include details of the entrance test. However, the prospectus would not include reservations and the fee structure.

He was talking to reporters after a meeting with Chief Minister V S Achutanandan and other officials in the Education Department.

Mr Acuthanandan had also spoken of approaching the SC against the HC verdict.

The Kerala High Court struck down four important sections in the Kerala Self-Financing Professional Colleges Act, 2006 terming them 'invalid and unconstitutional.' It termed Sections three, seven, eight and ten, relating to admission procedures, fee structure, power of government to decide minority status of colleges and reservation to various communities, including SC/ST as 'invalid and unconstitutional.' UNI