The minister said the university’s legal section has already prepared a draft that mirrors the 2005 code of conduct modelled by Mahatma Gandhi University, a template suggested by the Kerala High Court after petitions were filed following the 2018 murder of second‑year student and SFI leader Abhimanyu M. at Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam.
A sub‑committee appointed by Kerala University is tasked with examining the draft, proposing amendments and seeking the views of student organisations before submitting a revised version to the university Syndicate, where any decision on campus politics must be ratified, John explained.
Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the move on Facebook, calling any regulation of campus politics “unconstitutional” and an attempt to depoliticise university campuses, arguing that student activism has historically shaped India’s political landscape.
Youth Affairs and Sports Minister O.J. Janeesh, who also heads the state Indian Youth Congress, rejected the notion of banning student politics, stating that participation in campus politics is not wrong and that the government will not support a ban.
University sources indicated that the backlash from political leaders and left‑leaning Syndicate members could force a revision of the proposed regulations. While a blanket ban appears unlikely, the university may consider restricting the involvement of “external forces” with political affiliations and reviewing eligibility criteria for student‑union elections.
Left‑backed members of the Syndicate have argued that political debate is part of students’ academic development and have urged the university to focus on making student politics more constructive rather than imposing prohibitive rules.