KSHEC Raises Concerns Over UGC Draft; Forms Panel Led by Prabhat Patnaik for Review

Speedy Summary

• Event: University Grants Commission’s (UGC) draft Learning Outcomes based Curriculum Framework (LOCF) faced criticism at a Kerala State Higher education Council (KSHEC) meeting.
• Concerns Raised:

– Draft curricula deemed retrogressive and contradictory to UGC’s own Curriculum and Credit Framework.
– Criticism of obsolete content that could undermine modern multidisciplinary higher education.

• Action Taken: KSHEC constituted an expert committee to evaluate the draft curricula.

– Chairperson: Prof. Prabhat Patnaik, former Kerala State Planning Board vice-chairperson.- Co-chairperson: Prof. Rajan Gurukkal, KSHEC vice-chairperson.
– Members include academicians from reputed institutions like Cochin University of Science and Technology and Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, with historian Romila Thapar as a special invitee.

• Focus Areas for Review:

– Academic rigour, scientific validity, ideological neutrality, compatibility with Kerala’s secular education tradition.
– Impact on State universities’ autonomy due to potential centralisation under UGC frameworks.

Indian Opinion analysis

The criticism raised by KSHEC points to possible gaps in alignment between the centralised framework proposed by UGC and state-specific educational priorities. The concerns about outdated content highlight the tension between advancing multidisciplinary approaches versus adhering to established norms that some argue may hinder innovation in higher education. The establishment of an expert committee ensures that critiques are both detailed and evidence-based while considering long-standing traditions of inclusivity in Kerala’s academic systems.

Furthermore, apprehensions regarding increased centralisation indicate broader systemic challenges around balancing local autonomy with national standardisation in India’s educational administration-a recurring debate within federal policy frameworks. As outcomes from this review will influence Kerala’s stance on LOCF implementation nationally, its findings could serve as a model for addressing similar issues across other states.

Read more: – August 26, 2025