Kerala's Rescue Plan for Teachers Amid K-TET Ruling

The Kerala government, responding to a Supreme Court ruling, will grant temporary pay-scale approval to nearly 20,000 teachers without K-TET qualification. Teachers must clear the exam within two years to retain positions. The plan aims to cushion the impact of enforced qualifications under the Right to Education Act.

The Kerala government has announced measures to support approximately 20,000 teachers impacted by a Supreme Court ruling enforcing the Kerala Teacher Eligibility Test (K-TET) qualification. State Minister V Sivankutty confirmed that temporary pay-scale approval will be provided for those affected.

The apex court's decision overturned a previous exemption for teachers appointed before 2012, mandating that they acquire the necessary qualifications within two years. The government aims to mitigate the abrupt disruption to teachers' livelihoods by allowing them to continue drawing salaries during this period, provided they pass the required tests.

In conjunction, a review of staff appointments linked to Aadhaar discrepancies in school enrollments will be conducted to prevent further job losses among teachers. The reassessment could reinstate positions lost due to data inaccuracies.

(With inputs from agencies.)