Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Cabinet has decided to create 110 supernumerary posts of Junior (English) teachers in higher secondary schools in order to abide by a Supreme Court order and to retain excess staff.
The government decision is effective for the current academic year and these teachers will be re-designated when permanent vacancies are reported. According to the government order, junior teachers could be appointed in a school if there are up to 14 periods a week in higher secondary classes and senior teachers could be posted if there are up to 25 periods.
Back in 2017, the government had issued an order which said that posts of junior teachers can be created only if there are at least seven periods a week. However, in 2021, many higher secondary school principals reported to the government that seven or more English periods were not available for junior teachers. Based on the report, the government carried out staff fixation and identified 87 posts of higher secondary (English) teachers in the state who had at least seven periods a week. This staff fixation led to a situation where there was an excess of teachers.
However, in June 26, 2022, the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) sent advice memo for appointment to 47 candidates in the rank-list of higher secondary (English) junior teachers of 2010 based on a Supreme Court order.
Subsequently, the Kerala Government announced the latest decision to create 110 supernumerary posts mainly to accommodate these 47 teachers recommended by the PSC. Another purpose of the government order is to retain the excess English teachers in higher secondary schools.