Kerala Student Protests: Clashes Erupt Over Plus-One Seat Shortage

Student groups KSU and MSF are staging protests across Kerala, citing a shortage of plus-one seats in northern Malabar schools. The demonstrations have turned violent, with clashes reported in multiple districts. Opposition parties are criticizing the Left government's handling of the situation, while the government claims there is no admission crisis.

In a growing wave of discontent, the Kerala Students' Union (KSU) and the Muslim Students' Federation (MSF) continued their protests state-wide on Monday over the alleged shortage of plus-one (Class 11) seats in schools in the northern Malabar region of Kerala.

As the opposition in the Kerala Assembly accused the Left government of mishandling the issue, the protests, at times, turned violent in places like Kollam, where demonstrators clashed with police. Shots of tear gas filled the air as police responded to stone-pelting protesters attempting to breach barricades near the District Collectorate.

Such acts of defiance highlight the mounting pressure on the government. Despite the government's reassurances that thousands of plus-one seats remain vacant each year, KSU and MSF continue demanding additional seats to prevent future tragedies like the suicide of a girl student in Malappuram district on June 11 allegedly due to seat shortage anxiety.

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