{
  "id": 19944028,
  "title": "Media access order puts MG University on collision course with Minister",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/media-access-order-puts-mg-university-on-collision-course-with",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-14T07:56:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/media-access-order-puts-mg-university-on-collision-course-with-minister/article71701033.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kerala's Mahatma Gandhi University is facing a clash with the Higher Education Minister over media access to the institution, with the Minister demanding the immediate removal of an order requiring journalists to obtain the Vice-Chancellor's permission before entering the campus for news coverage. The university, however, refuses to abandon the directive, arguing that it is merely an administrative measure to maintain transparency and security, rather than a ban on the media.\n\nThe Ministry's Roji M. John asserted that limiting media access to a public institution would violate transparency and the public's right to know, invoking Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution which guarantees freedom of speech and expression. The minister warned of strong resistance to any attempt to curtail media freedom at MG University or any other higher education institution in Kerala.\n\nThe university, on the other hand, maintains that there is no ban on the media; rather, it is an administrative arrangement to ensure the secure entry of journalists into the campus. Vice-Chancellor D. Mavuth explained that the directive was issued in response to incidents where television channels had entered university offices without permission, causing disruptions to academic activities and campus security. He emphasized that the directive was based on the Governor's and Chancellor's instructions, not those of the Minister.\n\nStudent and employee organizations have protested the latest order, which was issued by the Registrar's office at the Vice-Chancellor's instruction. The dispute has escalated further due to the widening rift between the UDF-backed Syndicate members and the Vice-Chancellor, who is a nominee of the Governor. The order, issued on November 13, 2026, has triggered protests from various groups on the campus.",
  "summary": "Calling the order undemocratic, Higher Education Minister Roji M. John said that restricting media access to a public institution would undermine transparency and the public’s right to know",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}