The PRE-DEGREE COURSE (ABOLITION) ACT, 1997

ACT 3 OF 1998 
THE PRE-DEGREE COURSE (ABOLITION) ACT, 1997 
An Act to abolish Pre-Degree Course in the State of Kerala in a phased manner 
commencing from the academic year 1997-98 and to provide for matters incidental or 
ancillary thereto. 
Preamble.-- WHEREAS the University Grants Commission has been continuously 
pressing the Government of Kerala to abolish Pre-Degree Course in the Universities in 
the State; 
AND WHEREAS all the other State Governments in India have abolished Pre-Degree 
Course by accepting 10+2 system of school education; 
AND WHEREAS in accordance with the National Education Policy to improve 
standards of Higher Education, the Government of Kerala consider if necessary to abolish 
Pre-Degree Course in the Universities in Kerala in a phased manner with effect from the 
academic year 1997-98 and to make alternative arrangements for the establishment of 
more number of Higher Secondary Schools in the State of Kerala; 
BE it enacted in the Forty-eighth Year of the Republic of India as follows:-- 
1. Short title and commencement.--(1) This Act may be called the Pre-degree 
Course (Abolition) Act, 1997. 
(2) Clauses (c) and (d) of sub-section (2) of section 3 shall come into force at 
once and the remaining provisions of this Act shall be deemed to have come into force on 
the 3rd day of June, 1997. 
2. Definitions.--(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-- 
(a) "academic year" means a period of 12 months commencing from the first day 
of June and ending with the thirty first day of May of the following year; 
(b) "Committee" means Empowered Committee constituted by sub-section (2) of 
section 3; 
(c) "University laws" means the Kerala University Act, 1974 (14 of 1974), the 
Calicut University Act, 1975 (5 of 1975), the Mahatma Gandhi University Act, 1985 (12 
of 1985) and the Kannur University Act, 1996 (22 of 1996) and the Statutes, Ordinances, 
Regulations, the rules and the byelaws made under the said Acts; 
(d) "State" means the State of Kerala.
(2) | Words and expressions used but not defined in this Act and defined in the 
University Laws shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in the said laws. 
3. Pre-degree Course to be abolished.--(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in 
the University laws, or in any agreement or contract, with effect on and from the date of 
commencement of this Act, the Government reserve for themselves the nght, by order, 
published in the Gazette, to prohibit the conduct of Pre-degree Course or such number of 
batches of the said course in an academic year in such colleges as may be specified 
therein and thereupon such course of study or such number of batches of the said course 
of study shall not be conducted in the colleges so specified and the University concerned 
shall not grant affiliation to the said course in such colleges and disaffiliate the college 
which violates the prohibition contained in the said order. 
(2) No college shall be specified in the order, under sub-section (1) unless it is 
recommended by an Empowered Committee consisting of -- 
(a) the Principal Secretary to Government, Higher Education Department-- 
Chairman; 
(b) the Vice-Chancellor of one of the Universities in the State nominated by 
the Government--Member; 
(c) Secretary to Government, General Education Department--Member 
(d) the Director of Collegiate Education--Member-Secretary; 
(e) the Director of Public Instruction--Member; and 
(f) the Director of Higher Secondary Education--Member. 
4. Meeting of the Committee.--(1) |The Committee shall meet at such time and 
place as may be determined by the Chairman. 
(2) Meetings of the Committee shall be presided over by the Chairman and his 
absence, by a Member chosen by the Members present, from among themselves. 
(3) The quorum for a meeting of the Committee shall be three. 
(4) Decision of the Committee shall be taken by the majority of Members 
present at a meeting and where the Members divide equally, the decision of the Chairman 
shall prevail. 
(5) Minutes of the meeting of the Committee shall be approved by the Chairman 
and all proceedings, orders and other instruments of the Committee, based on the 
minutes, shall be authenticated by the signature of the Member-Secretary.
(6) The procedure to be followed in a meeting shall be such, as may be 
determined by the Chairman. 
5. Ban on appointment of staff etc.--Notwithstanding anything contained in the 
University laws or in any agreement or contract, no appointment of non-teaching staff in 
any University and no appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff in any college 
shall be made for a period of three years from the date of commencement of this Act: 
Provided that, in the exigencies of service, such appointment may be made, with the 
previous approval of the Committee. 
6. Repeal and saving.--(1) The Pre-Degree Course (Abolition) Ordinance, 1997 (10 
of 1997), is hereby repealed. 
(2) Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or deemed to have been done or 
any action taken or deemed to have been taken under the said Ordinance shall be deemed 
to have been done or taken under this Act.

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