Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court challenging its verdict that made the Kerala Teacher Eligibility Test (K-TET) mandatory for teacher appointments and promotions, General Education and Labour Minister V. Sivankutty said on Saturday.

The petition seeks a reconsideration of the judgment, citing the unique characteristics of Kerala’s education sector and the practical difficulties faced by teachers, he added.

Nearly 50,000 teachers at risk

“If implemented, the verdict could affect the jobs of nearly 50,000 teachers in the state,” Sivankutty said, stressing that protecting teachers who have served for years is the government’s responsibility.

Kerala had achieved top positions in literacy and educational standards even before K-TET was introduced. “The claim that teachers without the eligibility examination are unqualified does not stand in the state’s context,” the minister noted.

Pre-2012 teachers seek exemption

Teachers who joined service before K-TET’s introduction in 2012 did not have the opportunity to acquire the qualification. The government has requested that teachers appointed before 31 March 2012 be exempted from the K-TET requirement and allowed to continue in service until retirement.

The review petition also seeks permanent exemption from K-TET for teachers holding higher qualifications such as NET, SET and PhD, and urges that the test should not block promotions for teachers already in service.

“The existing verdict denies principles of natural justice to teachers appointed before the 2010 notification of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE),” Sivankutty said.

Government freezes K-TET implementation

On Saturday, the Kerala government froze its earlier order regarding K-TET implementation for appointments and promotions in government and aided schools.

According to new guidelines, candidates who have cleared K-TET Category I or II will remain eligible for appointment as Lower Primary (LP) and Upper Primary (UP) teachers.

Sivankutty said the implementation of instructions from the January 1, 2026 order will be frozen until further notice.

Teachers’ unions unite to protect jobs

A united front of teachers’ organisations, comprising groups affiliated with both ruling and opposition parties, has come together to safeguard employment amid the K-TET issue.

The front does not include BJP-affiliated organisations and has demanded that the central government legislate to protect teachers’ rights.

Protests are scheduled at Lok Bhavan on January 8, followed by a Parliament march on February 5, highlighting the widespread concern over the Supreme Court directive.