In a firm nudge to restore calm on college campuses, the Kerala High Court has asked universities across the State to draw up clear, enforceable rules to regulate student political activity and prevent clashes that disrupt academic life.
A Division Bench led by the Chief Justice said universities and their affiliated colleges cannot look away when political rivalries spill into classrooms and corridors. Maintaining discipline and ensuring a safe, study-friendly environment, the court said, is a core responsibility of higher education institutions.
The court directed the syndicates of all universities involved in the public interest case to design structured mechanisms to manage student political activity on campus, with the explicit aim of preventing conflict and maintaining order.
Among the universities covered by the directive are Mahatma Gandhi University, the University of Kerala and the University of Calicut.
The matter arose from petitions highlighting repeated incidents of campus violence in the State. One petition pointed to the 2018 tragedy at Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, where political clashes within the campus culminated in the death of a student—an episode the court treated as a stark reminder of what unchecked campus politics can lead to.
Reiterating its earlier concerns, the court stressed the need for long-term, systemic solutions rather than ad hoc responses after violence breaks out. It noted that Mahatma Gandhi University already has a framework in place—the Mahatma Gandhi University Students Code of Conduct Rules, 2005—which aims to promote discipline and responsible behaviour within classrooms and campus spaces.
Those 2005 rules, the Bench said, should serve as a template. Other universities have been instructed to model their own regulations on similar lines, adapting them as needed.
All universities have been told to submit their draft rules before the court by the next hearing. The drafts are also to be shared with the State’s law officer for review and suggestions, particularly to ensure that educational institutions remain insulated from excessive political influence.
The case is scheduled to come up again on March 4.
