George Kommattam
Calicut, Feb:2, 2025: The Kerala government’s decision to slash minority student scholarships by 50% has sparked widespread protests from Christian organizations, Church leaders, and Opposition parties.
The move, which the government claims is due to a financial crisis, is being seen as deliberate neglect of minority educational rights, disproportionately affecting Christian and other minority communities.
The KCBC Education and Jagratha Commissions, in a joint statement, said the government’s decision contradicts the recommendations of the Justice J.B. Koshy Commission, which had identified the educational and economic backwardness of the Christian community.
“The government must reinstate these scholarships without delay to ensure that socially and economically disadvantaged Christian students do not suffer,” said Fr. Antony Vakko Arackal, Secretary of the KCBC Education Commission, and Fr. Michael Pulickal CMI, Secretary of the KCBC Jagratha Commission, in their joint statement.
The financial cuts impact multiple minority scholarship schemes, including the Prof. Joseph Mundassery Scholarship Award, the APJ Abdul Kalam Scholarship, and the Minority Scholarship for Foreign Studies. These reductions could disrupt the academic aspirations of thousands of students, many of whom rely on these funds to pursue higher education, especially in professional courses and foreign universities.
Christian rights activist Amal Cyriac has condemned the Kerala government’s 50% cut in minority scholarships, calling it a deliberate attempt to deny Christians their rightful benefits. “For years, the government allocated funds in an 80:20 ratio, favoring one community over others. When we questioned this injustice, instead of ensuring fair distribution as directed by the Kerala High Court, they slashed the funds, further marginalizing Christian students,” Cyriac said, warning that Christians in Kerala are facing severe educational discrimination, he told Matters India.
Christian leaders have warned that this decision reflects a larger pattern of neglect toward educationally disadvantaged Christian communities, particularly in higher education and professional studies. Several Catholic organizations have begun mobilizing to demand a rollback of the decision, accusing the government of undermining minority rights under the pretext of financial constraints.
“This move from the government is highly deplorable. These scholarships are a source of hope for economically backward students in our community. I believe the Minority Corporation is already rejecting requests for second installments due to a lack of funds, which will severely impact our students. The government must reinstate the scholarships in full,” said Chacko Kattamkottil, Paroppady Forane President of AKCC, speaking to Matters India.
As protests intensify, Christian leaders, student organizations, and civil society groups are urging the government to immediately restore the scholarships in full, ensuring that financial limitations do not hinder the educational progress of Christian and other minority students in Kerala.