Students Raise Slogans Against Congress Workers Who Tried to Disrupt Teacher Recruitment Interviews at Kerala Kalamandalam

Cheruthuruthy: Students at Kerala Kalamandalam raised slogans against Congress workers who arrived to disrupt interviews for the recruitment of temporary faculty members at the institution.

Congress workers from Vallathol Nagar had announced that they would prevent the teacher recruitment interviews scheduled for Thursday. They gathered on the Kalamandalam campus and attempted to force their way into the office of the Vice-Chancellor. The Vice-Chancellor then sought police assistance. After police arrived, only five members of the group were allowed to enter the Vice-Chancellor's chamber. The threat to block the interviews was issued under the leadership of Block Congress President P. I. Shanavas and DCC Secretary Johny Manichira.

The interviews had been scheduled weeks in advance to recruit temporary teachers in the disciplines of dance music, Kathakali music, and Panchavadyam (Thimila). Congress leaders argued that since there had been a change of government in Keralam, the interviews should be conducted only after a new governing body was appointed at Kerala Kalamandalam.

However, classes have already begun at the institution, and the absence of teachers has disrupted academic activities. Students from several departments have been protesting over the shortage of faculty.

Students who are scheduled to perform at the Koothambalam on August 15 have not yet been able to begin their training. At a time when the institution was preparing to complete the interviews quickly, appoint teachers, and commence classes, the Youth Congress threatened to block the recruitment process.

Vice-Chancellor Dr. B. Ananthakrishnan said that if teachers were not appointed for the arts courses, the institution would have no option but to shut down. He described the arguments raised by local political leaders in Cheruthuruthy as baseless and said it was the administration's responsibility to ensure transparent and smooth academic functioning for students, adding that it would continue to fulfil that responsibility.

Since the change of government in the state, local Congress leaders from Cheruthuruthy had been repeatedly visiting Kerala Kalamandalam and exerting pressure to replace temporary employees and appoint individuals of their choice.