K-TET qualification: Schools with minority status excluded, Kerala govt issues order

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government ordered that the K-TET qualification is not mandatory for teacher appointments and promotions in minority-status aided schools in the state. This is the first time that the education department has directly issued an order granting exemption to minority institutions.

The government's decision is based on Supreme Court orders. The government made this clear in a reply approving the appointment of Dakshayani A.K., the head teacher of Kuntar A.U.P.S., a linguistic minority school in Kasaragod. In 2014, a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court ruled that the Right to Education Act does not apply to minority-status institutions. In 2025, when the bench headed by Justice Dipankar Dutta made TET mandatory for appointments, it left minority-status schools for consideration by a seven-judge larger bench. This was not made applicable to minority schools in the review order of May 29, 2026.

The Director of General Education had rejected the appointment of Dakshayani as the head teacher of Kuntar AUP School, citing that she lacked K-TET qualification. The government's order was made after considering the complaint filed by the school manager against this. The government clarified that TET qualification cannot be made mandatory in minority educational institutions until the final decision of the Supreme Court's larger bench. Earlier, head teacher promotions and appointments were rejected in minority schools, including Chelakkara LFGHS, because of K-TET. About 3500 aided schools in the state have minority status.