The Kerala government has decided to extend the relaxation allowed to Nair Service Society (NSS) on making permanent appointments to posts other than those reserved for the differently abled to other aided school managements also, subject to the verdict on petitions pending before the Supreme Court.
Addressing a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty said more than 20,000 teachers working on provisional or daily wage basis in aided schools would benefit from the decision. All benefits due to them from the date of appointment would be ensured, the Minister said.
The case related to the appointments will be taken up by the court on April 14. However, since the first phase of differently abled appointments through the district-level committees set up as per a Supreme Court directive had been completed on January 24 and the second phase had begun and in the wake of a High Court Single Bench order that other petitioners too were eligible for the relaxation given to the NSS and the government seeking the opinion of the Advocate General yet again, it was decided to regularise appointments made to general category posts too.
The government had also got the legal opinion that regularisation of 442 teachers who had submitted special leave petitions should be paused till the final verdict by the apex court or it would amount to contempt of court.
A government order issued in this regard on Wednesday directed that managements take steps to appoint the differently abled in posts set aside for them according to the court verdict.
The Supreme Court judgment will also be applicable to all appointments made by aided school managements in future. The managements that are yet to reserve posts for differently abled appointments should do so. Steps should also be taken to complete the second phase activities of the district-level committees to select eligible differently abled job aspirants.
A few Church spokespersons have termed the extension of relaxation allowed to the NSS to other aided managements an election stunt. Asked about the timing of the decision and whether the grievances of Churches and managements of aided schools would be addressed through the government decision, the Minister denied it had anything to do with the upcoming elections. “The government did what it should do.”
On why this decision was not taken earlier, the Minister said they were acting on the legal opinion received. The correct decision had been taken now to end the difficulties of teachers who had been awaiting permanent appointments, he added.
Published – February 18, 2026 09:06 pm IST
