Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has lost more than 4,000 teaching posts in public schools this year after Aadhaar-linked lapses and falling student numbers affected staff calculations.

Teacher posts are decided based on the number of students recorded on the sixth working day of the academic year. But many children without Aadhaar cards were not counted in this data. As a result, 4,090 teacher posts were lost. The Education Minister had earlier promised teacher unions that Aadhaar details would be considered until June 30, but no such order was issued.

Public schools in Kerala have 1.25 lakh fewer students this year compared to last year. Government schools lost 66,315 students, while aided schools lost 59,371. Officials linked the fall mainly to lower birth rates. At the same time, 2.34 lakh children enrolled in Class 1. But on the sixth working day alone, 20,000 of them did not yet have Aadhaar cards.

In the assembly, Education Minister V Sivankutty said 57,130 students in public schools still do not have Aadhaar.

To have a revised teacher strength calculation using any day other than the sixth working day, a special order was needed. However, the directorate did not approve this relaxation.

Students without Aadhaar (by district)

  • Thiruvananthapuram: 5,724
  • Kollam: 3,242
  • Pathanamthitta: 1,027
  • Alappuzha: 2,534
  • Kottayam: 1,690
  • Idukki: 1,637
  • Ernakulam: 3,633
  • Thrissur: 3,278
  • Palakkad: 4,857
  • Malappuram: 15,472
  • Kozhikode: 4,499
  • Wayanad: 1,432
  • Kannur: 4,262
  • Kasaragod: 3,843