THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government's decision to include the additional Higher Secondary Plus One seats and batches sanctioned last year from the very start of the admission process is expected to significantly reduce complaints of seat shortages, particularly in the northern districts.
The move follows recurring concerns over inadequate Plus One seats in certain regions. The state government's policy address has also promised further seat increases wherever necessary. This year, Kerala has 4.39 lakh Plus One seats available, compared to 4.10 lakh students who passed the SSLC examination.
The practice of incorporating additional seats and batches from the first allotment stage was introduced in 2025 by the previous LDF government. The measure helped minimise seat shortage complaints last year, prompting the current UDF government to continue the model before the commencement of the single-window admission process on May 26.
At present, the state has 1,92,181 Plus One seats in government schools, 1,92,159 in aided schools and 49,800 in unaided institutions. In addition, 5,044 seats are available in special schools, model residential schools and technical schools, according to officials from the General Education Department.
However, concerns remain over the manner in which Plus One batches were sanctioned over the years. RTI data shows that 135 batches have fewer than 25 students enrolled, including 113 batches in government schools.
General Education Minister N Shamsudeen said the issue requires detailed examination. "It is a serious matter that needs to be studied closely. However, these batches cannot be discontinued or shifted at this stage as the admission process is already underway," he said, adding that the government would scientifically review batch allocation anomalies to find a long-term solution.
In 2023, an expert committee headed by V Karthikeyan Nair recommended measures to address regional imbalances in seat distribution. One of its key suggestions was relocating batches with fewer than 25 students to districts facing seat shortages. However, the previous government did not act on the report.
Despite the increase in seats and batches, RTI figures reveal that 52,209 Plus One seats remained vacant during the 2025–26 academic year. These included 19,758 merit seats, 4,323 management seats, while the remaining vacancies were in unaided institutions, highlighting persistent disparities in seat allocation across the state.
PLUS ONE SEATS
2026-27 academic year
Total available seats - 4,39,184
SSLC passouts in 2026 - 4,10,456
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2025-26
Batches with less than 25 students - 135
Govt - 115, Aided - 22
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Vacant seats in 2025-26
Total - 52,209
Govt - 19,758
Aided - 4,323
Unaided - 28,128
