ArdorComm Media News Network
November 6, 2026
The Keralam government has announced plans to establish 300 science centres to promote scientific awareness among 15 lakh young people and introduce a mobile application that will allow students to confidentially report ragging and other campus-related concerns.
Chief Minister V D Satheesan will launch both initiatives at Government Women’s College on Wednesday. He will also inaugurate the first sub-centre of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Scientific Temper at an event scheduled for 11.30 am. Higher Education Minister Roji M John will preside over the programme, with Transport Minister C P John also expected to attend.
The science outreach programme, led by the Kerala State Higher Education Council, aims to encourage scientific temper, humanism and critical thinking among students and the general public. It will cover 15 lakh young people through 300 centres across the state.
As part of the initiative, the government will introduce online courses, educational handbooks and short video reels. An online course developed in collaboration with the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT) will also be launched.
New app to enable anonymous campus complaints
The government will introduce the Siddharth Student Welfare App to provide students with a secure and confidential channel to report ragging, safety concerns and other problems within educational institutions.
The application will allow students to submit complaints anonymously, including through audio recordings, and notify the relevant authorities so that necessary assistance can be provided.
The app has been named after J S Sidharthan, a 20-year-old veterinary student from Nedumangad who allegedly died by suicide in February 2024 after facing ragging by fellow students at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Pookode, Wayanad.
The state government is also considering a draft of the Siddharth Anti-Ragging Act. The proposed legislation is intended to establish a legal framework for addressing ragging and enable the formation of a state-level anti-ragging commission, the minister said.
Student aspirations survey also planned
The government will additionally release a Student Aspiration Survey to assess the expectations, interests and aspirations of students pursuing higher education in the state.
According to the higher education minister, these initiatives form part of a broader effort to strengthen scientific thinking, safeguard student welfare and create more inclusive, progressive and student-friendly higher education institutions across Keralam.
Source: Indian Express