THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, October 25, 2025 — Once globally recognized as a success story for literacy and intellectual vibrancy, Kerala’s educational system is reportedly teetering on the brink of institutional failure. A critical assessment suggests that the state’s academic structure is now a hollow shell, maintained only by misleading statistics and systematic political compromises. The celebrated “Kerala Model” of education is accused of rapidly decaying from a source of pride into an object of pity.
The foundation of this rot is allegedly traced to nine years of consistent political interference by the ruling party. According to critics, party-affiliated unions, particularly those linked to the CPI(M), have commandeered key academic bodies such as SCERT, DIET, and Scole. These institutions, meant to be centers of academic excellence, are now described as safe havens for loyalists, where appointments are frequently made based on political allegiance rather than professional merit.
This practice, critics argue, has resulted in teachers from lower primary (LP) and upper primary (UP) sections, often holding minimal academic qualifications, being parachuted into high-level advisory and training roles, making a mockery of professionalism and meritocracy.
The consequence is most acutely felt in the classroom. In many government and aided schools, particularly in the LP and UP sections, teaching is said to have become a mere formality. Students are promoted year after year without achieving even basic proficiency. A shocking disconnect has emerged: a vast number of students entering higher secondary now possess the highest SSLC grades (A+), yet they are functionally unable to read fluently, write coherent sentences, or grasp fundamental concepts across Science, Social Science, Mathematics, and English. The pass percentages sparkle, but the true measure of learning is dim.
Highly qualified and committed higher secondary teachers are consequently burdened with the near-impossible task of educating students who are systemic victims of this institutional neglect. The result is a predictable fall in academic standards, widespread frustration, and the quiet dissolution of Kerala’s meticulously nurtured academic culture.
Further fears are mounting over the potential impact of the proposed Khader Committee recommendations. Critics warn that merging different school sections and allowing underqualified LP/UP teachers to handle higher classes will only accelerate the systemic degradation, extending the rot upward into higher education. If implemented without addressing the core issues of merit and accountability, the state’s educational legacy is feared to vanish within a decade.
For a state that was once the benchmark for India’s literacy achievements, the journey from enlightenment to ignorance has been swift and silently masked by glossy government propaganda. Disillusioned youth, recognizing the value erosion behind their certificates, are increasingly migrating abroad for both learning and livelihood, signaling a deep lack of faith in the system that was once Kerala’s greatest triumph.
