The General Education Department of Kerala has issued an order today directing the dismissal of school teachers appointed to aided institutions after 1 September 2025 who do not possess the mandatory Kerala Teacher Eligibility Test (K-TET) qualification.

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The government order also mandates the immediate cancellation of promotions granted after 1 September 2025 to teachers lacking the required category test. Staff promoted from the upper primary section to the high school cadre without K-TET will be demoted back to their former posts. However, candidates recommended by the Public Service Commission after 1 September 2025 who lack the qualification will receive temporary appointments. They can regularise their service while retaining their advice seniority once they clear the test.

State seeks legal advice on curative option

Faced with growing anxiety among thousands of serving educators, the state government had decided to seek legal opinion on filing a curative petition in the Supreme Court following the rejection of its review plea. Education is on the Concurrent List of the Constitution, placing teacher recruitment and service conditions under state administration. The state government had previously argued in court that forcing teachers appointed before K-TET’s 2012 introduction to clear the test violates constitutional rights under Article 14. It warned that retrospective enforcement would cause serious socio-economic disruption and potential job losses across Kerala.

Apex court mandate and ongoing union protests

The strict enforcement stems from a landmark Supreme Court ruling holding that TET is a compulsory statutory requirement under Section 23 of the Right to Education Act. The court later extended the deadline for serving teachers to acquire the qualification from 31 August 2027 to 31 August 2028, while reiterating that no further extensions will be granted because the law prioritises children's educational quality. Teachers within five years of retirement are exempt from taking the test to remain in service, though they cannot receive promotions. Meanwhile, teacher organisations continue to demand central legislative amendments to protect experienced staff appointed under earlier rules.