Expulsion of Kerala student over live-in triggers debate
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala is in the midst of a raging debate after the high court on Monday upheld the rustication of a college girl who was living with her lover.
Activists have flayed the HC verdict, saying that it was against a Supreme Court ruling on live-in relationship. But many parents and college authorities said the high court order would help maintain discipline in the campus.
The 19-year-old girl, a student of Mar Thoma College of Science and Technology near Kollam (south Kerala), had approached the court after the college rusticated her citing her live-in relationship with a 20-year-old youth who was studying in the same college.
The college had expelled her four months ago after the girl and her partner were apprehended by the police from a hotel following a missing person complaint filed by her parents. The two were later produced before a magistrate who allowed both to go with their respective parents.
She submitted before the high court that she was in the fourth semester of her course and considering her excellent grades, she should be re-admitted to the college.
But the single-bench headed by justice K Vinod Chandran has turned down her plea. “This is not a mere case of falling in love - two students taking a drastic step of eloping and living together without contracting a marriage. When taking such a drastic step for the sake of love, they should also be ready to face consequences,” the court observed while upholding the decision of college.
The court also observed that the college’s concern of setting an example to other students and ensuring discipline and decorum of an education institution could The 19-year-old student of Mar Thoma College of Science and Technology near Kollam (south Kerala) was rusticated, citing her live-in relationship with a 20-year-old man who was studying in the same college She was expelled four months ago after she and her partner were arrested from a hotel following a missing person complaint filed by her parents not be brushed aside. Earlier, the University of Kerala to which the college is affiliated refused to interfere with the action taken by the college management.
While hearing the case the court had requested the college to explore all possibilities of admitting the student back to her class with some conditions, but the college expressed its helplessness saying such precedent would set a bad example.
“We are not against live-in relationship. But discipline is the touchstone of any educational institution. Reputation is essential for a privately-run institution like this,” said principal of the college Prof K C Mathew.
“We are planning to move an appeal either in a division bench or the Supreme Court. Otherwise the judgment will affect the career of a bright student who scored more than 80% marks in all semesters,” said the girl’s counsel K V Anil Kumar.
He said the boy had already taken a transfer from the college. He also claimed that the authorities had initially promised to allow the girl to continue her education in the same college but later backtracked. The lawyer said parents of the couple had agreed to their marriage once the boy turned 21.
“Last year the Supreme Court had ruled that live-in relationship is an accepted norm in society and it does not attract any penal action. The minor irritant here is the boy is yet to complete 21 years. But it doesn’t mean the poor girl should be thrown out of her college,” said a woman activist in Kochi. Many associations have pledged support to her, she added.
The student community is also divided over the verdict. While some said the verdict was essential to maintain discipline in the campus, others dubbed it “discriminatory”. She told the Kerala high court that considering her excellent grades should be re-admitted to the college. But the HC bench had turned down her plea
The Kerala high court went on to say that the college’s concern of setting an example to other students and ensuring discipline and decorum of an education institution could not be brushed aside