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Kerala SFI student leader mark list row: Principal Maharaja's College cites 'technical error'; KSU smells foul

The ruling CPI (M) in Kerala has found itself in the soup after mark list of its student wing SFI state secretary, P M Arsho, a student at Maharaja’s College in Ernakulam, showed that he “passed” the 3rd semester exam at the Archaeology Department without actually appearing in it.

Maharaja’s College Ernakulam
Maharaja’s College Ernakulam

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Published : Jun 7, 2023, 3:18 PM IST

Ernakulam: Amid a controversy around the alleged mark list of a student leader of the ruling CPI (M) in Kerala, the administration at the Maharaja's College in Ernakulum has said that the controversy was caused due to a “technical error” which has been rectified. A controversy erupted after the mark list of the SFI state secretary, P M Arsho, who is studying at Maharaja’s College in Ernakulam, showed that he “passed” the third semester exam at the Archaeology Department even though he did not actually appear in it.

Following the controversy, the KSU activists of Ernakulam Maharaja's College lodged a complaint with the principal over the matter. However, Principal V.S. Joy while commenting on the matter said that it was “only a technical error” adding the glithc has been “rectified as soon as it was brought to their notice”. “The result only showed 'pass' without marking grades.

This is just an error. The mark list has not been provided to P M Arsho,” Principal V.S. Joy said in a bid to pacify the controversy. But KSU said that it is “suspicious that such a mistake has not been corrected even days after the result was published”. In more trouble for the ruling CPI (M), K Vidya, an alumnus of Maharajas College and SFI leader has also been accused to have secured appointment as a guest teacher by forging the documents.

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A case has been registered against Vidya under relevant sections related to forgery. Ernakulam Central Police filed the case on the complaint of Ernakulam Maharajas College Principal Dr V S Joy. KSU has also filed a complaint with the DGP in this regard. Vidya is accused of having worked as a guest teacher in various government colleges by forging documents. Most recently, Vidya had come to Attapadi Govt College for a job interview. However, the teachers of the Attapadi Govt. college flagged her suspicious certificates to the authorities of Ernakulam Maharajas College.

K. Vidya, who completed her graduation in Malayalam from Maharajas College five years ago, allegedly produced a fake certificate stating that she was a guest teacher in Maharajas College Malayalam department for the years 2018-19 and 2020-21. Vidya also worked as a guest teacher in the Malayalam department from October to March of the academic year 2021-22. Later, she was also appointed as a guest teacher in a government college in Kasaragod district.

Principal V.S. Joy said that there has been no appointment of guest teachers in Maharajas College for ten years. He said that the initial investigation revealed that the emblem and seal of the college on the certificate were fake and following this, a complaint was filed with the police on Tuesday. Meanwhile, KSU (Kerala Students Union) has alleged “high-level political interference” behind her appointment as a guest teacher in government colleges.

The controversy comes at a time when Ernakulam Maharajas College has been ranked 46th in the national ranking for best colleges. Ernakulam Maharajas College was ranked 46th in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) of the Union Ministry of Education.

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