T’puram: Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC) has constituted a high-level committee to evaluate University Grants Commission‘s (UGC) draft Learning Outcomes-based Curriculum Frameworks (LOCFs), which ignited criticism from the state govt

The UGC has circulated draft frameworks for nine subjects — anthropology, chemistry, commerce, economics, geography, home science, mathematics, physical education and political science — and has invited feedback from stakeholders before finalization.

The state govt has already raised serious concerns over the draft curricula, and the dept of higher education has directed KSHEC to study the matter and prepare an evaluation report. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan also criticized the draft frameworks and said the Sangh Parivar forces were trying to rewrite history by making false claims. He also criticized the UGC’s use of a portrait of Goddess Saraswathy in the framework documents instead of the UGC logo.

To ensure a comprehensive academic response, KSHEC, in its executive-body meeting on Tuesday, constituted a high-level committee comprising Prabhat Patnaik (JNU) as chairman, Rajan Gurukkal as co-chairman, Cusat professor Vani Kesari, retired IISc professor N J Rao and Rajan Varughese as convenor. Romila Thapar (JNU) will be the special invitee to the committee.

The committee has been tasked with a critical evaluation of the UGC’s draft curricula, focusing on their academic rigour, scientific validity, ideological neutrality and compatibility with Kerala’s long-standing traditions of secular and inclusive education.

The committee will also assess the potential impact of the draft curricula on the autonomy of state universities, amid concerns that the proposed frameworks could result in greater centralization of curricular control under UGC. In addition, it will review the inherent contradictions between the draft LOCFs and the curriculum credit framework for undergraduate programmes also published by the UGC.

“The committee’s recommendations will ultimately shape Kerala’s official response, reaffirming the state’s unwavering commitment to academic freedom, inclusivity and the promotion of scientific temper in higher education,” KSHEC member secretary Rajan Varughese said.