M. A. Baby

M. A. Baby
M. A. Baby
Member of the Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Incumbent
Assumed office April 9, 2012
Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs Kerala State
In office 2006–2011
Preceded by	Nalakath Soopy
Succeeded by	P. K. Abdu Rabb
Constituency	Kundara
Personal details
Born	(1954-04-05) April 5, 1954 Prakkulam, Kollam
Political party	CPI(M)
Spouse(s)	Betty Louis
Children	Ashok Betty Nelson
Religion	None
As of April 8, 2014

Marian Alexander Baby (Born 5 April 1954) is an Indian politician and one of the prominent leaders of Communist Party. He is also the Polit Bureau member of Communist Party of India (Marxist).
He has created a unique space of activism by integrating organisation politics, parliamentary politics and cultural domain. He was awarded the first Arjun Singh Award for the promotion of culture by Abhinav Rangamandal in 2013.
He is currently the MLA from Kundara constituency in Kerala.
Prior to this, he held the positions of Rajya Sabha Member and Education and culture Minister for Kerala.

Early life

Born on 5 April 1954 as the eighth child of Shri. P.M. Alexander and Smt. Lilly Alexander.His father,PM Alexander, was one of the first degree holders in Kollam, who served as Head Master in different schools in Kollam.He lost his father while studying in Std 7.He completed BA degree course in Political Science from Sree Narayana College, Kollam. During emergency, he was arrested under DIR and tortured in jail. He could not write the final year examination and had to abandon formal education

Comrade Baby entered politics through Kerala Students Federation, the predecessor of Students' Federation of India, while studying at NSS High School, Prakkulam.He held many responsible positions in Student Federation of India, Democratic Youth Federation of India, and CPI (M).

He was elected to the Rajya Sabha at the age of 32 and became one of the youngest members of Rajya Sabha

He occupies an honourable and unique space in the cultural sphere of Kerala as an ardent promoter of art, music and sports

POLITICAL CAREER:

Major Milestones

1972: Party Membership

1974: Elected to the Central Executive Committee of SFI as its youngest member at an age of nineteen

1975: Elected as the Kerala State President of SFI

1977: Elected to the CPI(M) District Committee, Kollam

1978: Elected as member of the International Preparatory Committee of World Federation Of Democratic Youth

1979: Elected as the All India President of SFI

1983: Elected as the DYFI All India Joint Secretary

1984: Elected as the Kerala State Committee Member CPI(M)

1986: Member of Parliament,Rajya Sabha.(First term). Was the youngest Rajya Sabha Member and also on the panel of presidium in Rajya Sabha.

1987: Became All India President of DYFI

1988: Member of Parliament,Rajya Sabha – second term.Chairman – Parliamentary Sub Committee

1989: Elected as the CPI(M) Central Committee Member

1989:Founded Swaralaya, along with some like-minded friends.(Swaralaya is a fraternity which promotes classical music and dance art forms)

1992 – 1998 CPI(M) Central Secretariat Member

1997: CPI(M) State Secretariat Member

1997: Had an opportunity to address the UN General Assembly Hall.

1991: Founded the National Committee for Solidarity with Cuba.(An organization formed in solidarity with the resisting people of Cuba against the blockades declared upon Cuba by the imperialist nations led by USA)

1992: A shipment of necessities like medicine and food grains were delivered at the Cuban port, resisting the imperialist American blockade. in a ship by name “ “,flagged off from port.

2002: Appointed CPI(M) District Organisation Secretary, Alappuzha.

2006: Elected as the Member of Legislative Assembly from Kundara Assembly Constituency

2006: Sworn in as the Minister for Education & Culture, Govt. of Kerala

2011: Elected as the Member of Kerala State Legislative Assembly election for the second Consecutive time from Kundara.

2012: Became the Polit Beaureau member of the Communist Party of India (M)

ACHIEVEMENTS AS EDUCATION MINISTER OF KERALA (2006-2011)

As Minister of Education in the V. S. Achuthanandan ministry (2006-'11), he brought in many progressive changes in the education sector. His most noteworthy reforms were aimed at making the teaching-learning process more balanced. He implemented the single window admission processing for higher secondary education. Despite the opposition of private managements controlled by caste and religious fractions, the implementation of single window admission brought in much needed professionalism and discipline in the admission process in higher secondary education in Kerala.Another notable change was the implementation of grading system in high schools.
This helped bringing transparency in grading the students with internal assessments and other allied evaluation methods. He was the inspiration behind implementing new Physical Education syllabus for schools in Kerala state. A sportsman and ardent sport fan, Mr. Baby also provided much needed impetus to the Kerala school sports by revising the competition manual and providing a hike in prize money to the winning athletes. He also prompted the revision of the competition manual for Kerala school arts festival.

Progressive Changes and Programmes implemented by Com. Baby :

1. Established first Higher Education Scholarship Scheme in India . Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated it.

2.The Higher Education Council was set up through an ordinance passed by Kerala Legislative assembly. This is considered as a model for the country

3.Initiated `The Erudite - Scholar in Residence Progamme ‘ to bring the expertise of Nobel laureates to benefit the research work in the Universities in Kerala. Under this programme, about 10 Nobel laureates spent over two weeks with students and faculty of different Universities in Kerala

4.Inter University Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development was established in Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. This center was selected as one of the five centres selected in an initiative to strengthen the mutual cooperation between US and India in the field of Higher education and Research. Other four institutions were either IITs or Central Universities

5.Single window system was established for ` Plus One’ admission in Kerala. This made the system transparent, merit based and corruption free. It also ensured that all deserving students get admission especially from the category of SC/ST and physically challenged

6.For the first time in India, Scholarships were established for Plus One students. This was inaugurated by Ms. PrathibhaPatil, President of India

7. Successfully implemented ` On line’transfer system for teachers in Kerala. Transfer of teachers was quite infamous for corruption and favoritism in Kerala. On line system enabled transparency of criteria and corruption free transfer of all deserving teachers

8. ` Choice based credit and semester system’ established at Graduate level in the universities. This effort was timely and much needed in the context of Kerala as unregulated emergence of private professional colleges have made Government Arts and Science colleges less attractive for graduate courses. Globally, Choice based credit and semester system is the pedagogy for graduate studies and it has helped the arts and science college to upgrade their academic performance and made them attractive for meritorious students..

9.Established computer hardware clinic in schools. This enabled schools to use their hitherto unused supply of computers and other computer related equipments. Hardware Clinics created a cadre of students and teachers who can undertake the maintenance and repairs of computers in the school itself and in the first two years itself, it has created around 2.5 crores of computer assets in schools.

10.Most extensive teacher training programme in the history of Kerala was initiated and completed

11.Initiated efforts to protect maximum number of academic days in schools. As part of this, the practice of giving holidays to schools if ex- education minister passes away was amended to the practice of holding condolence meeting and continuing the school activities

12.SCERT was upgraded to an academic centre

13.Formed a permanent text book commission in the state

14.Modified the conduct of Parents- Teacher committees, school parliament, Sports Fest, and Yuvajanolsavam in through Scientific and democratic manner

15.Initiated a programme to ensure that all Gram Panchayats have ` Plus two’ schools and as part of that 120 schools were established

16.Identified those few gram Panchayats without High schools and high schools established in these Gram Panchayats

17.Established Heritage study centers in Schools and organized historical study tour for teachers and students

18.Initiated a programme to collect and preserve teaching notes of eminent teachers

19.Established Archives in SCERT to preserve text books of different time periods
20. Revised the syllabus and curriculum of polytechnic course which was not revised for decades

Contributions in the field of culture

1.Conceptualised and initiated the he first Biennale in India at Muziris - Cochin 2013
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2.Upgraded Kerala Kalamandalam to a deemed University status in the model of Santiniketan.

3.Conducted the first International festival for short films in India

4.Started a national award for contribution to drama and theatre in memory of the eminent theatre artist, Badel Sarkar

5.Established awards in the names of eminent artists, KCS Panikker and TK Padmini

6.Established awards to recognise those who make contribution to world cinema and honoured Mrinal Sen and Werner Hershog

7.Established International Theatre festival in kerala

8. Established modern recording facilities at music colleges

9.Provided facilities for music college students to attend Pongal Music Festival in Chennai, stay and learn music under famous gurus in Chennai

10.Introduced Hindustani vocal, chavittu natakam and vanchippattu as competition items in School Youth Festival

11.Established modern recording facilities at music colleges

12.Re established credibility of School Youth Festival by introducing non controversial and eminent artists in the Judging Panel

13. Organised language exponents and eminent literary figures for claiming classical status for Malayalam language and heralded the initial work towards it

Contributions towards development of Kollam district

1. Established IHRD college,MBA colleges, LBS Centre and Institute of Fashion Technology in Kollam District

2. Established techno park at Kundara

3. A new National highway was developed to benefit both Kerala and Kollam district from Anchalamoodu,via Perayam, Kizhakke Kallada to Theni

4. Upgraded Kundara Community Health Centre to Taluk hospital

5. With the help of Social welfare Department, established a paraplegic centre in the compound of Vilachikkala community health centre

6. “Comprehensive Social Protection” was implemented in all seven gram panchayats in Kundara constituency

7. For the first time in India,conducted survey of waste collectors in all seven panchayats of Kundara. Formed Harita Sena for co coordinating waste collectors and provided them with identity cards, uniforms and accident insurance from MLA fund

8. Prepared and distributed Social Security Bill for waste collectors in the Assembly.This was the first ever draft bill prepared in India.

9. Initiated the formalities for the establishment of English and foreign Language centre and Institute of mass communication in Kollam district. However, UDF government which followed, established both these centres at Malappuram and Kottayam respectively.

10. Gave consent for the establishment of Bishop Jerome engineering college in Kollam to provide opportunity for students from fishermen community to pursue engineering studies.

References

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