Kerala Government Agrees to Talks With Teacher Rank-Holders After 133 Days of Protest

Kerala officials will hold discussions with protesting educators after an active demonstration reached its 133rd day outside the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram. The Chief Minister's Office contacted the demonstrators on Sunday to confirm that the state administration is ready to negotiate. S. Valarmathi, who serves as secretary for the teacher rank-holders association, stated that the group will only call off their protest if the state accepts their demands. She is currently participating in a fast-unto-death strike.

Demands And Origins

Job seekers initiated the protest to push back against delays in job offers from the state public service commission for lower primary school teacher roles. The demonstrators also want reforms to the recruitment process and adjustments to the ratio between teachers and students. What started as a push for formal appointment letters has grown into a wider disagreement over how the state counts, reports, and fills open teaching positions.

Numbers And Timeline

The official employment list became active across all 14 districts on May 31, 2025. While the list includes roughly 11,758 job seekers, fewer than 500 candidates had received job offers by August.

Context

Public service commission rank lists in India often face heavy pressure when recruitment counts fall short of active job openings. State secretariats frequently become focal points for long-running demonstrations by job seekers demanding faster government hiring processes.