Recognised, aided and appointed by the manager: what Kerala's school law says about aided-school teachers

Background

The General Education Department of Kerala withdrew on 1 November a circular that would have removed or demoted aided-school teachers appointed or promoted after 1 September 2025 who do not hold the K-TET qualification. The teachers the circular touched work under the Kerala Education Act, 1958, which still governs school management in the State. The Act defines an aided school as a private school that is recognised by the Government and receives aid from it. It uses the term educational agency for the person or body permitted to run a private school. Under Section 11 of the Act, teachers of aided schools are appointed by the managers of those schools, and not by the Government. That power is not unlimited: the manager must choose from among persons who hold the qualifications prescribed under Section 10, and must follow the rules and conditions the Government lays down. The Act also provides for a District Educational Authority constituted under Section 17.