News That Pre-Primary Honorarium Was Cut Is False’; Says Minister V. Sivankutty

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty has clarified that reports claiming a reduction in the honorarium of pre-primary teachers and ayahs associated with government schools in the state are false.

In a press conference, the minister said that the government had issued an order increasing the honorarium by ₹1,000 for these employees, effective from November 2025.

Currently, 2,835 teachers and 1,945 ayahs in government-recognized pre-primary schools receive monthly honoraria. Based on their length of service, teachers receive between ₹12,000 and ₹12,500, while ayahs receive ₹7,000 to ₹7,500. This year, the honorarium has been increased by ₹1,000, marking the second increase in this financial year. The minister assured that the increase will be received with full benefits.

The enhanced honorarium will be released after approval from the Finance Department. Minister Sivankutty also stated that employees whose payments were reduced in February 2026 will receive the revised amount as soon as it is processed.