The Kerala government has paused its decision to make the Kerala Teacher Eligibility Test (K-TET) compulsory for appointing and promoting school teachers due to strong opposition from teachers’ groups. General Education Minister V. Sivankutty acknowledged the concerns of teachers employed before April 1, 2010, ensuring their job security. The order, based on a Supreme Court ruling from September, required K-TET for promotions, including high school teachers becoming headmasters, without exceptions for higher qualifications like NET or PhD.
The directive faced backlash from Left-leaning teachers’ unions, such as the Kerala School Teachers Association (KSTA), prompting a swift reconsideration by the government. Sivankutty clarified that the Supreme Court’s decision adversely affected teachers hired under previous recruitment norms, deeming it unjust to demand a qualification that didn’t exist during their hiring. He highlighted that K-TET was only introduced in Kerala in 2012, emphasizing the violation of Article 14 of the Constitution by treating pre and post-K-TET teachers equally.
The state plans to challenge the ruling with a review petition, citing potential job losses and societal repercussions from retroactive enforcement. Sivankutty argued that removing experienced teachers would harm educational standards, noting Kerala’s historical literacy achievements predating K-TET. Nearly 40,000 teachers faced the risk of losing promotions and benefits under the order, leading the government to schedule a special K-TET exam in February 2026 for in-service teachers seeking certification.
A revised government order will follow the special exam, ensuring no teacher employed before 2010 loses their job. Sivankutty assured that legal measures would be taken to safeguard teachers’ positions, with efforts underway to expedite the review petition filing after consultations with educators and legal experts.
