The Kerala government on Wednesday decided to extend by six months the validity of 18 Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) rank lists for teacher appointments under the General Education Department, Chief Minister V D Satheesan said at a press conference after the state Cabinet meeting.

The rank lists, which were due to expire in September, October and November 2026, cover teaching posts from Primary Teachers to Higher Secondary School Teachers (HSST).

Satheesan explained that vacancies could not be reported to the PSC in time due to various reasons, including census-related duties, Booth Level Officer (BLO) duties during elections, delays in inter-district transfers and staff fixation. This resulted in candidates on the rank lists losing a significant number of appointment opportunities, he said. The Cabinet therefore decided to extend the validity of the rank lists by six months to ensure eligible candidates get more opportunities for appointment.

In another decision, the Cabinet approved the establishment of three special courts in Palakkad, Manjeri and Thrissur judicial districts for the trial of cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The decision was taken in view of the large number of pending NDPS cases in the state and the government's ongoing efforts to step up its fight against drug abuse, Satheesan said.

The government also decided to increase the number of permanent posts in the special NDPS courts already functioning in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam from eight to 11 each. The three new courts will also have 11 permanent posts each.

The chief minister acknowledged that the decisions would impose an additional financial burden on the state government, but stressed that the courts were necessary to ensure speedy trial of cases as part of the government's intensified fight against narcotic drugs.