Kerala Higher Education Minister Roji M John has demanded the immediate withdrawal of a reported Mahatma Gandhi University order requiring journalists to obtain prior permission from the Vice-Chancellor before entering the campus to gather news, calling the restriction an attack on press freedom.
John raised the issue in a Facebook post on Saturday after media reports suggested that the university had made advance approval mandatory for journalists seeking access to the campus. According to the reports cited in the coverage, the order was issued by the Registrar’s office following directions from the Vice-Chancellor.
The university has not yet issued a response to the minister’s remarks or clarified the scope and operation of the reported order. The available account therefore establishes the minister’s opposition to the measure, but does not include the university’s explanation or a copy of the instruction.
John said the reported restriction was contrary to the freedom of the press, which he described as an integral part of the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. He argued that requiring prior approval from the head of a public university could limit the media’s ability to independently report on matters concerning the institution.
The minister also said restrictions on journalists would deprive the public of its right to know and compromise transparency in the functioning of public institutions. His objection places the dispute beyond a question of campus access: it concerns how a publicly funded higher education institution engages with scrutiny and public accountability.
John said universities were intended to be centres of independent thinking and democratic discourse. In his view, limits on media access to such institutions reflected authoritarian tendencies and challenged constitutional values. He called on the university authorities to revoke the reported order without delay.
The minister further said the Kerala government would not permit measures that undermined press freedom at any higher education institution in the state, including Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam district. His statement represents the government’s position, but the report does not indicate whether any formal direction has been issued to the university or whether the institution has begun reviewing the measure.
The immediate administrative question is whether the reported prior-permission requirement remains in force and, if so, how it is being applied to journalists seeking access for routine news gathering. A response from the Vice-Chancellor or Registrar would clarify the order’s wording, legal basis and intended scope.
For now, the next step lies with the university authorities, who are yet to respond to the minister’s demand for withdrawal. Their clarification will determine whether the reported restriction is cancelled, modified or defended.
