Kerala Government Challenges K-TET Implementation in Supreme Court

Thiruvananthapuram, the Kerala government has initiated a review petition in the Supreme Court regarding its ruling that mandates the Kerala Teacher Eligibility Test (K-TET) for teacher appointments and promotions, announced state General Education and Labour Minister V. Sivankutty.

The petition requests a reevaluation of the judgment, emphasizing the unique aspects of Kerala's education system and the challenges teachers face, as conveyed by the minister.

If enforced, this ruling could jeopardize the employment of approximately 50,000 teachers in the state, highlighting the government's duty to protect those who have dedicated years to teaching.

Kerala has consistently excelled in literacy and education standards even before the K-TET's introduction, arguing that the assertion that non-K-TET teachers are unqualified does not hold in this context.

Sivankutty pointed out that teachers who began their careers prior to the K-TET's 2012 inception did not have an opportunity to obtain the required qualifications.

The government is advocating for an exemption from the K-TET requirement for those who were employed before March 31, 2012, allowing them to continue teaching until retirement.

The review petition also seeks a permanent exemption from K-TET for educators with advanced degrees such as NET, SET, and PhD, insisting that the test should not obstruct the promotions of current teachers.

The minister emphasized that the existing ruling compromises the principles of natural justice for teachers appointed before the 2010 National Council for Teacher Education notification.

Reaffirming the government's commitment to addressing teachers' concerns while upholding the quality of public education in Kerala, Sivankutty expressed optimism that the review petition would yield a favorable outcome for teachers.

On Saturday, the Kerala government suspended its previous directive regarding K-TET implementation for appointments and promotions in both government and aided schools.

According to the new guidelines, candidates who have passed either K-TET Category I or II will remain eligible for roles as Lower Primary and Upper Primary teachers.

Sivankutty clarified that the enforcement of the January 1, 2026 order would be paused until further notice.

The Left government introduced new guidelines on K-TET in light of recent Supreme Court decisions regarding the mandatory nature of such eligibility tests.

This decision follows a Supreme Court ruling from August 7, 2023, and a subsequent judgment on September 1, 2025.

The government stated it sought clarity from the Director of General Education and thoroughly analyzed the situation before issuing the revised norms.