Kerala LPST rank holders protest for teacher appointments

Lower Primary School Teacher (LPST) rank holders in Kerala have intensified their protests against the state government, demanding immediate appointments before their rank list expires. Valarmathi S, secretary of the All Kerala LPST Rank Holders’ Association, began an indefinite hunger strike and shaved her head in front of the Secretariat to demonstrate her anguish over unfulfilled government promises.

The protesters have outlined four primary demands: reducing the student-teacher ratio to 1:25, including Head Teacher Vacancies (HTV) under the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) umbrella, extending the validity of the current rank list, and postponing the issuance of new notifications.

Protesters claim that while the Education Minister previously assured them the issue would be resolved within 45 days, the government has failed to provide written guarantees. They also criticized the government for citing financial constraints regarding these appointments while simultaneously permitting teacher appointments in aided schools.