The Department of Higher Education is an administrative department under the Government of Kerala responsible for formulating policies, implementing programmes, and managing institutions related to higher education in the state. The department oversees universities, government and aided colleges, technical education institutions, professional colleges, and entrance examinations for professional courses in Kerala.
The Higher Education Department was formed to improve the standard of higher education in the state and to ensure coordinated development of university education, technical education, collegiate education, and professional course admissions.
The department headquarters is located in the Government Secretariat at Thiruvananthapuram.
Leadership The department is headed by a Cabinet Minister of the Government of Kerala, and the current Minister for Higher Education is Roji M. John.Kerala Council of Ministers – Kerala Legislative Assembly
The administration of the department is overseen by the Principal Secretary to Government, an IAS officer. The present Principal Secretary (Higher Education) is Sharmila Mary Joseph IAS. The Principal Secretary is assisted by Additional Secretaries, Joint Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries, Under Secretaries and other Secretariat staff as per the Rules of Business of the Government of Kerala.Rules of Business of Government of Kerala
Functions Formulation and implementation of policies relating to higher education in Kerala Administration of Acts and Rules governing higher and technical education institutions in the statePolicies & Acts – Higher Education Department Supervision of government, aided, and self-financing colleges, universities, professional institutions, and law colleges Administration of entrance examinations to professional courses through the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations Implementation of state and centrally sponsored schemes relating to higher and technical education
Line Departments / Subordinate Offices The Department exercises administrative control over the following major line departments and bodies:
Directorate of Technical Education Directorate of Collegiate Education Commissionerate of Entrance Examinations (CEE) National Cadet Corps (Kerala) Government Law Colleges and other professional colleges Universities under the administrative control of Higher Education, including: University of Kerala Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala University of Calicut APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit
(Universities are governed as per their respective Acts and statutes.)
Directorate of Collegiate Education This is the government agency responsible for establishing new government colleges, introducing new academic programmes, and managing staff matters of aided colleges, including disbursement of salary to teaching and non-teaching staff.
Directorate of Technical Education
The Directorate of Technical Education oversees all state institutions imparting technical and professional education, including government engineering colleges, polytechnics, colleges of fine arts, food craft institutes, commercial institutes, technical high schools, and vocational training centres.
Commissionerate of Entrance Examinations (CEE) Responsible for conducting entrance examinations and allotting seats to various professional degree courses in Kerala.
National Cadet Corps (Kerala) Functions as the state unit of the NCC, providing military training, leadership development, and youth involvement programmes within the educational institutions of Kerala.
The department also exercises administrative oversight over universities and professional institutions under the Higher Education sector in the state.
Universities and autonomous institutions Universities under Higher Education Department Sl. No. University Location Website 1 University of Kerala Thiruvananthapuram 2 APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) Thiruvananthapuram 3 Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala (MGU) Kottayam 4 Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) Kochi 5 University of Calicut Malappuram 6 Kannur University Kannur 7 Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University Tirur, Malappuram 8 Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit Kalady 9 National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS) Kochi
Autonomous Institutions / Bodies Sl. No. Institution / Body Type Website 1 LBS Centre for Science and Technology Autonomous Institution 2 Institute of Human Resources Development (IHRD) Autonomous Educational Institution 3 Centre for Continuing Education Kerala (CCEK) Autonomous Organisation 4 Kerala State Centre for Advanced Printing and Training (C-APT) Government Printing & Training Organisation 5 Kerala State Science and Technology Museum Science & Technology Museum 6 Kerala Council for Historical Research (KCHR) Research Council 7 National Service Scheme Cell – Kerala NSS (Higher Education Wing) 8 Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) – Kerala Centrally Sponsored Scheme 9 Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP Kerala) Autonomous Skill Development Agency 10 K. R. Narayanan National Institute of Visual Science and Arts Film & Visual Arts Institute 11 Kerala State Higher Education Council Statutory Council List of Ministers References:
Following is the list of Education Ministers of Kerala before the bifurcation of the Education Department into General Education and Higher Education: Sl. No. Minister TermParty Chief Minister 1 Joseph Mundassery 1957–1959 CPI E. M. S. Namboodiripad 2 P. P. Ummer Koya 1960–1962 INC Pattom A. Thanu Pillai 3 R. Sankar 1962–1964 INC R. Sankar 4 C. H. Mohammed Koya 1967–1969 IUML E. M. S. Namboodiripad 5 C. H. Mohammed Koya 1969–1970 IUML C. Achutha Menon 6 C. H. Mohammed Koya 1970–1973 IUML C. Achutha Menon 7 Chakkeeri Ahmed Kutty 1973–1977 IUML C. Achutha Menon 8 C. H. Mohammed Koya Mar 1977 – Apr 1977 IUML K. Karunakaran 9 C. H. Mohammed Koya 1977–1978 IUML A. K. Antony 10 U. A. Beeran Jan 1978 – Oct 1978 IUML A. K. Antony 11 C. H. Mohammed Koya Oct 1979 – Dec 1979 IUML C. H. Mohammed Koya 12 Baby John 1980–1981 RSP E. K. Nayanar 13 P. J. Joseph 1981–1982 Kerala Congress K. Karunakaran 14 T. M. Jacob 1982–1987 Kerala Congress (Jacob) K. Karunakaran 15 K. Chandrasekharan 1987–1991 — E. K. Nayanar 16 E. T. Mohammed Basheer 1991–1995 IUML K. Karunakaran 17 E. T. Mohammed Basheer 1995–1996 IUML A. K. Antony 18 P. J. Joseph 1996–2001 Kerala Congress E. K. Nayanar 19 Nalakath Soopy 2001–2004 IUML A. K. Antony 20 E. T. Mohammed Basheer 2004–2006 IUML Oommen Chandy 21 M. A. Baby 2006–2011 CPI(M) V. S. Achuthanandan 22 P. K. Abdu Rabb 2011–2016 IUML Oommen Chandy
+ List of Higher Education Ministers of Kerala (since bifurcation in 2016) Sl. No.Image Minister Term Party Chief Minister 1 K. T. Jaleel 2016–2021 LDF (Independent) Pinarayi Vijayan 2 R. Bindu 2021–2026 CPI(M) 3 Roji M. John 2026–Incumbent INC V. D. Satheesan
See also Department of General Education (Kerala) Government of Kerala Education in Kerala
References