Salary Will Not Be Denied; Two Years Given To Acquire K-TET: Minister V Sivankutty

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has announced that teachers will be protected while implementing the Supreme Court verdict on K-TET qualification. General Education Minister V Sivankutty said the state will grant relaxation in K-TET-related matters to ensure that teachers do not lose their salaries.

Speaking to reporters, the minister said appointment approval will be given to teachers appointed before September 1, 2025, who possess equivalent qualifications such as NET, SET, MPhil and PhD. They will be allowed two years to acquire K-TET. “Making teachers work without salary during this period would amount to a violation of human rights. Salary will not be denied to those who have not yet passed K-TET,” he said.

K-TET is mandatory under the Right to Education Act. The minister recalled that when the rule was implemented earlier, the government had granted exemption to those appointed before 2012 to avoid hardship. However, in its September 1, 2025 verdict, the Supreme Court rejected such relaxations and directed that teachers without K-TET be removed from service.

The ruling has affected around 20,000 teachers and their families, the minister said. In this context, the government has taken a decision that ensures compliance with the court order while safeguarding the livelihood of teachers. Authorities have been instructed to take necessary steps in this regard.