Kerala Politics & Governance

President assents to amendment on examination malpractice

1 August 2026

President Droupadi Murmu gave assent to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which had been passed by both Houses of Parliament. The amendment provides for investigations to be completed within two months and prescribes prison terms and fines for examination malpractice, including organised paper-leak offences.

Key Facts

• The underlying Act aims to curb cheating and protect the integrity of public examinations.
• The amendment requires investigations into examination malpractice to be completed within two months.

Kerala opens four-year degree entry to eligible ITI and diploma holders

1 August 2026

Kerala issued an order allowing eligible ITI graduates to enter the first year of four-year degree programmes and qualifying three-year polytechnic diploma holders to enter the second year. Based on the National Credit Framework, the policy is scheduled to take effect from the 2027–28 academic year; ITI applicants must also meet the prescribed language-credit requirement.

Key Facts

• The National Credit Framework integrates school, vocational, technical and higher education.

Centre says proposed Kerala rail projects and Kanjikode coach factory will not proceed

3 August 2026

The Centre told the Rajya Sabha that the proposed SilverLine project and Kanjikode coach factory would not proceed. It also said the state had reported E. Sreedharan’s proposed Thiruvananthapuram–Kannur high-speed rail project was not feasible on the basis of the submitted report, and that existing coach factories could meet current national requirements.

Kerala expands operating area for approved wild-boar shooters

4 August 2026

Kerala has expanded the operating area of locally approved shooters authorised to respond to wild-boar threats, allowing them to work across the state rather than only within the local body that approved them. The Forest and Wildlife Department issued the order to make approved shooters available more quickly in emergencies involving human-wildlife conflict.

Key Facts

• Local-body heads, acting as honorary wildlife wardens, can direct the shooting of wild boars under the existing order.

Kerala forms committee to draft bill for proposed AYUSH university

4 August 2026

Kerala has formed a four-member committee to draft legislation for a proposed independent Kerala AYUSH University. Chaired by the AYUSH Department’s Principal Secretary, the committee has been asked to submit a draft bill within two months; the university is envisaged to coordinate AYUSH education, research, treatment and medicine development.

Key Facts

• AYUSH covers Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy.

Kerala High Court approves Kandararu Brahmadathan’s appointment as Sabarimala tantri

4 August 2026

The Kerala High Court approved the Travancore Devaswom Board’s appointment of Kandararu Brahmadathan of Thazhamon Madom as Sabarimala’s tantri. His one-year appointment is to take effect when the temple opens on Chingam 1. The Board’s decision followed a favourable assessment of his tantric expertise by a three-member panel.

The court instructed the new tantri to give priority to the temple’s traditions, rituals, devotees’ faith and the protection of temple property.

Key Facts

• Sabarimala’s tantri leads the temple’s principal pujas and rituals.

Kerala Child Rights Commission launches protection dashboard and online complaints system

5 August 2026

The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights launched a digital dashboard to compile monthly district-level information on child protection, juvenile justice, POCSO cases, rehabilitation, legal aid and case progress. It is intended to support state-level review and coordination among departments.

The Commission’s Online Complaint Management System allows the public to register complaints online and check their status; the dashboard also supports monitoring cases disposed of by the Commission.

Key Facts

• The Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 provides India’s framework for the care and protection of children, including adoption provisions.

Kerala announces compensation package for rain-disaster losses

5 August 2026

Kerala’s Cabinet announced relief measures for people affected by rain-related losses, including ₹8 lakh for families of those who died and ₹10,000 for households whose homes were flooded. It set assistance at ₹6 lakh for a fully lost house and ₹12 lakh where both the house and land were lost.

The package includes a 25% increase in crop-loss compensation, ₹10,000 for shops whose goods were damaged by flooding, and loans of up to ₹12 lakh for affected MSMEs. The government announced either a margin contribution of up to 25% or ₹3 lakh, ...