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Time of India
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Summer or monsoon? General education minister V Sivankutty rekindles school vacation debate
Thiruvananthapuram: The long-debated proposal to shift the two-month school vacation in the state to the monsoon season has gained currency again. General education minister V Sivankutty has reignited the discussion by seeking public opinion—through a Facebook post—on rescheduling the annual break from April-May to June-July. The minister, however, acknowledged upfront the difficulties students face due to the scorching summer in April and May. At the same time, he noted that the heavy monsoon rains in June-July often force authorities to declare holidays for days together. There were suggestions to shift the vacation to May-June too. The govt won't rush into a decision, and any change will be made only after building a consensus, he said. Sivankutty said the govt wanted to gauge the public response to the proposal. "How will the change reflect on students' studies and health? How far will it be convenient for parents and teachers? Can we adopt the best practices in other states and countries," he asked, inviting people to share their views in the comments section of his post. The pro-Congress teachers association has already criticised the proposal, calling it a "freak" idea that overlooks the ground realities. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Celebrity Mugshot Hall Of Shame As Stars Isolated in Jail Instead Of Luxury Mansions Undo There were similar proposals from bureaucrats on several occasions in the past, but none of them sparked serious public debate. The inconvenience in conducting classes during peak summer has always been a concern. The scheduling of the national entrance examinations during April-May poses another major hurdle. The fresh proposal comes close on the heels of the govt managing to settle the protests raised by Muslim organisations and the Indian Union Muslim League against the revised school schedule introduced this academic year. The govt had assured the protesters that their grievances would be discussed ahead of the next academic year, but noted that revising the new schedule could invite more legal hurdles.
Time of India
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
School working time: Min to hold meeting today
T'puram: General education minister V Sivankutty would hold a discussion with school management representatives on Friday regarding the revised school working time schedule. He is holding the meeting in view of the protest raised by Muslim religious outfits and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) against the changes in school timing. Sivankutty, who initially blamed the high court for the revised time schedule introduced in schools this year, however, frequently changed his stance later. He initially said that the govt had no plans to introduce changes in the working time post haste but the HC wanted the changes to be implemented this year itself or else the general education principal secretary would be summoned to the court to explain the reasons. The minister, who was apologetic about govt's decision to extend the class timing by 15 minutes each in the forenoon and afternoon, later assumed a rigid stance, saying that state govt cannot fix school timing as per the wishes of religious organizations. Muslim religious organization Samastha EK faction president Jifry Muthukkoya Thangal was the first to protest against the change in school timing. He gave a letter to the chief minister, requesting a revisit of the decision as the change in school timing would affect Madrassa education for Muslim students. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Other Muslim organisations and the IUML later raised the same demand, forcing the state govt to hold discussions. A seemingly recalcitrant Sivankutty, however, still claims that the discussion with Muslim bodies would be to educate them about why it's not possible to retract the changes in the school working schedule. However, Muslim religious organizations, especially Samastha, said they were hopeful of convincing govt why current changes were causing inconvenience to madrassa education. One of Samastha's suggestions is that instead of adding 15 minutes each to morning and afternoon sessions, the schools should work for 30 minutes extra in the afternoon session. The meeting with school management representatives, including the representatives of religious bodies, is scheduled to take place here at 4.30pm.
Indian Express
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
140 kilometres, 22 hours, a familiar destination – VS Achuthanandan's last journey
The mortal remains of former Kerala chief minister and veteran CPI(M) leader V S Achuthanandan, who died Monday at the age of 101, will be consigned to flames at Valiyachudukadu burial ground in Alappuzha on Wednesday evening. The body of VS, which was taken by road in a flower-decorated low-floor bus from the state capital on Tuesday afternoon, reached Alappuzha on Wednesday morning. It took 22 hours to cover a 140 km distance as a sea of humanity waited along the entire route to pay tribute to the Communist leader. Although the cortege was scheduled to reach his house in Punnapra, Alappuzha, on Tuesday at 9 pm, the warmth of the people delayed the final journey. Those who had gathered showered flower petals in front of the bus carrying the body and raised slogans calling VS immortal. Many who came from far-flung regions waited for hours to give a final red salute to the leader, who lived for the ordinary people and their issues. When the cortege reached Harippad in Alappuzha, local legislator and senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala was waiting to pay homage. 'When the final journey of VS is passing through Harippad, I have to be here,' he said. After reaching Alappuzha, the body was taken to his Velikkakathu house at Punnapra, where senior party leaders, including CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby, state secretary M V Govindan and Indian Union Muslim League president Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, were present. Later, in the afternoon, the body was taken to the Alappuzha district committee office of the CPI(M), which VS had turned into his second home during his early years of political life in the undivided Communist Party. The burial ground, which is close to communist hearts, is the resting place of hundreds of martyrs of the 1946 Punnapra-Vayalar uprising and several early leaders of the Communist movement such as T V Thomas, K R Gouriyamma, P T Punoose, R Sugathan and P K Chandranadan. The uprising, in which hundreds were martyred, had been a defining moment in the making of the organiser in VS. He was in charge of a camp to make sharpened lances out of arecanut tree planks to use against the weapons of the police force. Every year, VS used to pay tributes to the martyrs on the commemoration of the event in October. The last time he visited Valiyachudukadu was in October 2019, before he was bedridden following a stroke.
Hans India
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Kerala: IUML slams Vellappally Natesan over communal remarks
Thiruvananthapuram: SNDP Yogam General Secretary Vellappally Natesan has stirred fresh controversy with a communally charged speech, prompting a sharp rebuttal from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which labelled him 'Kerala's Togadia' - a reference to Praveen Togadia, known for his inflammatory and anti-Muslim rhetoric. Speaking at a branch leadership convention of the SNDP in Kottayam on Saturday, Vellappally claimed that Kerala was on the path to becoming a Muslim-majority state. He accused both the ruling LDF and opposition UDF of pandering to the Muslim community and alleged that the state government needed the approval of Malappuram district for decisions as trivial as changes to school timings or the introduction of Zumba classes. He further twisted a decade-old remark by senior CPM leader V.S. Achuthanandan to support his claim. While Achuthanandan had, in 2012, warned that the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI) aimed to Islamise Kerala through radical means, Vellappally quoted him out of context to suggest that even a former chief minister had predicted a Muslim-majority Kerala within decades. BJP national executive member Amit Malviya also shared a cropped version of Achuthanandan's comment on social media. This is not the first time Vellappally has drawn flak for his remarks about Malappuram. Two months ago, he described the district as functioning like a separate nation, dominated by a particular community, making it difficult for others to express their opinions freely. While IUML had downplayed his earlier comments, the party has taken strong exception this time. An editorial published in Chandrika, the party's mouthpiece, tore into Vellappally's rhetoric, stating, 'He spreads communal poison even more freely than Praveen Togadia. It seems there is a contest between him and the man from Poonjar (a reference to P.C. George) on who can be the worst communal voice in Kerala. The state police and government appear indifferent.' The editorial also criticised Vellappally's statement that while two wards were reduced in Alappuzha during delimitation, four were added in Malappuram. He accused the IUML of now eyeing the Chief Minister's post, having earlier demanded the Deputy Chief Minister's position. The IUML hit back strongly. 'Wasn't C.H. Mohammed Koya a Muslim Chief Minister? Who says a Muslim can't hold that post? These remarks clearly reflect majoritarian communal thinking,' the editorial concluded.
The Hindu
14-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
IUML to hold protest meeting outside Kozhikode MCH
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is planning to hold a protest meeting outside the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH), Kozhikode, on Tuesday alleging that the State government is destroying the public health institution to help the 'private hospital lobby'. Addressing the media here on Monday, IUML district president M.A. Razak and general secretary T.T. Ismail claimed that corruption was rampant there. Along with patients and their caregivers, the hospital staff also were affected by the crisis plaguing the hospital, they said. Back-to-back fire outbreaks, shortage of doctors and nurses, and scarcity of drugs were some of the major issues. They demanded that the government take immediate steps to address the problems. Mr. Razak and Mr. Ismail alleged that there had been two fire outbreaks at the block housing the casualty section that had been constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) using ₹195 crore of Central funds. There had been lapses in the construction of the building. The investigation into these incidents, however, was an attempt to deceive the people, they alleged. They pointed out that thousands of patients were awaiting their turn for the schedule of surgeries because of a shortage of doctors in the Department of Anaesthesia. This was a result of the transfer of a number of doctors to other medical college hospitals for the National Medical Commission's inspection. There was a shortage of doctors in the Department of Dermatology and Forensic Medicine as well, and post-mortem examinations were being delayed. P.M.A. Salam, State general secretary, IUML, would open the protest meet at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, they added. Meanwhile, District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh is reported to have held a meeting with the hospital authorities on Monday. According to sources, there is no final word yet on reopening the PMSSY block, which was temporarily closed in May after the fire outbreaks.
