UNIVERSITY OF KERALA tIcf kÀhIemime (Established as University of Travancore by the Travancore University Act in 1937 and reconstituted as University of Kerala by the Kerala University Act of 1957 and presently governed by the Kerala University Act of 1974 passed by the Kerala State Legislative Assembly by Act 17 of 1974 vide Notification No. 3878-F1/72/Law dated 27th July, 1974 of the Government of Kerala) ANNUAL REPORT 2012 in pursuance of the provisions contained in section 49 of the Kerala University Act, 1974 the Syndicate presents to the Senate for review the annual report of the work and Progress of the University for the year 2012 THE REPORT COVERS THE PERIOD FROM 1st JANUARY TO 31st DECEMBER 2012 MEMBERS OF THE EDITORIAL COMMITTEE 1. Dr. J. Prabhash Pro Vice-Chancellor (Chairman) 2. Sri. R. S. Sasikumar Convener, Standing Committee on Staff, Equipment & Building) 3. Sri. B. S. Jyothikumar (Convener, Standing Committee on Finance) 4. Prof. M. Jamal Kunju (Convener, Standing Committee on Examinations) 5. Dr. P. Mohanachandran Nair (Convener, Standing Committee on Research & Scholarships) 6. Dr. M. Jeevanlal (Convener, Standing Committee on Affiliation of Colleges & Courses of Studies) 7. Dr. Jolly Jacob (Convener, Standing Committee on Library, Publications, Seminar, Conference and FIP) 8. Prof. P. Reghunath (Convener, Standing Committee on Teaching & Non Teaching Staff of Private College) 9. Dr. Varghese P. O. (Convener, Standing Committee on Kerala University Colleges of Teacher Education Centres, UITs & Information Centres) 10. Dr. P. S. Sreekala (Convener, Standing Committee on Students Discipline) 11. Dr. B. Suresh (Convener, Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Administrative Reforms) 12. Shri. A. Fasaludeen Huck (Convener, Standing Committee on IMK) 13. Shri. V. Suresh Babu (Joint Registrar-in-charge of Registrar) 14. Dr. M. Jayaprakas (Director, College Development Council) Compiled by Ac. C Section, University of Kerala & Printed by Superintendent, Kerala University Press INTRODUCTION The Platinum Jubilee Year 2012 of our University has been eventful with a host of developments and achievements to our credit. As the Mother University in the State, it has earned a special place in the hearts and minds of the people of Kerala. Our University established on 1st November, 1937 as the University of Travancore through a royal promulgation of His Highness Sri Chitira Thirunal Balarama Varma, the last Maharajah of the erstwhile princely State of Travancore has been the Alma Mater of several lakhs of people. The University, later renamed 'University of Kerala' in 1957, after the formation of the State of Kerala, has moulded millions of students into professionals in their respective fields. The Platinum Jubilee of the University was celebrated in a befitting manner. Academic initiatives, development activities, student welfare schemes, foreign collaborations, arts and sports festivals, seminars, lectures and a host of other programmes were organized to mark the occasion. The world has seen rapid changes in the creation and propagation of knowledge in the last few decades. The growth of information technology has led to a paradigm shift in higher education. The revolution created by the Information and Communication Technology has changed the world in the way it thinks and behaves. To keep pace with the emerging trends, the University too has introduced several transformative steps. The University introduced the School System for major Departments during the year. This umbrella system will help in the sharing of resources and will provide a platform for interdisciplinary studies and research. The new system will create a synergy between the activities of different departments. The proposed schools will be headed by a Director, appointed by the University. The different departments under the school can continue to function separately but there will be a single administration. The facilities too have to be shared among the Departments. The new system will facilitate collaborative research projects. The establishment of Learner Support Centres to conduct study programmes offered by the Institute of Distance Education is another achievement. The objective is to reach out to students all over Kerala, to popularize mass education and to realize the goal, "education for all" and to impart quality education at an affordable cost to the disadvantaged sections of the society. These Centres will help thousands of students to continue their studies and fulfill their long cherished dream. The University has introduced an on-line Admission portal to all UG Courses, which allows all UG admissions under the University on-line. The students of Kerala University will now be able to verify their mark lists on-line as a system for On-line Verification of Marklists and Degree Certificates has been launched. Students applying for higher studies and jobs abroad will be benefited by the system. The Research Portal, a single point securely hosted solution, is customized to seamlessly integrate, search and manage the research activities of the University. The Research portal will cover various aspects related to Ph.D research. It is envisaged to streamline the administrative processes involved in submitting the application, issuing registration order and the like. Application for Ph.D registration as well as submission of monthly progress report is expected to be switched over to online. The future of University education and the shape of things to come are being debated. The need of the hour is to produce graduates equipped with the right skills and required mastery. Broadening the scope of participation and providing every person the right opportunities to higher learning should be our paramount goal. In a world characterized by rapid change, it would be a difficult task to predict this with any measure of certainty. But all of us along with the well-wishers of our University can have some degree of confidence that the decisions and choices we have made today reflect the new thinking and are poised to take advantage of the immense opportunities that are opening up. Dr. K. M. ABRAHAM I.A.S. VICE CHANCELLOR January 31, 2013 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY The University of Travancore, which later became the University of Kerala, was established in 1937 by a promulgation of the Maharaja of Travancore, Sri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma who was also the first Chancellor of the University. Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Ayyar, the then Diwan of the State, was the first Vice-Chancellor. It was the sixteenth University to be set up in India and ten colleges within the State of Travancore which were affiliated to the Madras University became the affiliated colleges of the University of Travancore. In 1957, the Kerala University Act, Act 14 of 1957, was brought into force and the University of Travancore was renamed University of Kerala. The University had three campuses located in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode. In 1968, the University Centre at Kozhikode became a full -fledged University covering the Colleges and Departments located in Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode and Kannur Districts of Kerala. The Cochin University of Science and Technology and the Kerala Agricultural University were set up in 1971 and in 1983, the Mahatma Gandhi University was established. With the establishment of these Universities, the area of the jurisdiction of the University of Kerala has been limited to Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha Districts and some parts of Pathanamthitta District. There are 236 affiliated colleges. Of these, 67 are Arts and Science colleges. They include 10 Government Colleges, 37 aided and 20 unaided institutions. There are five Law colleges (1 Government, 1 Private and 3 unaided), 38 Engineering colleges (of which two are Government Colleges, one is aided and 35 are unaided), 2 Architecture Colleges (unaided), seven Medical Colleges (five are self financing), 50 Teachers’ Training Colleges (one Government, six aided and 43 unaided) , four Ayurveda Colleges (three are unaided), two Homeopathy Colleges, one Siddha Medical College (self financing), two Fine Arts Colleges (Government), one Music College (Government), five Dental Colleges (of which four are unaided), five unaided Pharmacy Colleges and one College of Physical Education. Besides these, there are seventeen affiliated institutions conducting two year full time MBA course (one government in existing Government Engineering College), one aided (in existing aided Engineering College), and 15 self financing. (out of which 5 are is existing unaided Engineering College), Nine colleges offering MCA. (1 government in existing Government Engineering College) 1 aided (in existing Engineeering Colleg) and 7 Self financing (out of which one is in existing Arts and Science College and 2 in existing unaided Engineering Colleges) and 24 Nursing Colleges (22 self financing), four unaided Hotel Management and Catering Technology Colleges, one college of Special Education (unaided) and two Para Medical Colleges (unaided). The University College of Engineering in Kariavattom Campus offers B. Tech. in Information Technology, Computer Science & Engineering and Electronics & Communication Engineering. Of these 50 Colleges, which offer courses under the Faculty of Medicine have been brought under the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS), Thrissur from the academic year 201-11 onwards. The University Departments offer a wide range of teaching and research at post-graduate, M.Phil.