| പൊതുവിദ്യാഭ്യാസ വകുപ്പ് | |
 | |
| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1995 (1995) |
Preceding Department |
|
| Jurisdiction | Kerala |
| Headquarters | Thiruvananthapuram |
Minister responsible |
|
Department executives |
|
Parent Department | Government of Kerala |
Child agencies | |
| Website | https://www.education.kerala.gov.in |
The General Education Department, Government of Kerala is the administrative body responsible for overseeing school education in the Indian state of Kerala. Founded in 1995, The department administers and regulate school education from pre-primary level to the higher secondary level and teacher training. The department formulates educational policies, implements government programs, and ensures quality education across the state.
Organisation
General Education Department
The Department of General Education is a state-level government administrative department in Kerala, entrusted with formulating policies, planning, and implementing various educational programs and initiatives across the state. The Department is headed by the Minister for General Education and is assisted by a senior IAS official designated as the Secretary of General Education. The Principal Secretary/Secretary to the Government functions as the administrative head of the Department and serves as the principal adviser to the Minister for General Education on all matters relating to policy and administration within the Department of General Education.
The current Minister for General Education of Kerala is N. Samsudheen, who has held the office since May 22, 2026, in the First Satheesan ministry
Directorate of General Education
The Directorate of General Education is an administrative body within the Department of General Education. It is responsible for the day-to-day administration, management, and coordination of general education in Kerala. The Directorate is headed by the Director of General Education, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, who oversees its functioning and reports to the Secretary of General Education.
The Director of General Education (formerly, the Director of Public Instruction) is the Head of the Department. The Director of General Education is also the Commissioner for Government Examinations in the state. In examination-related activities, he is assisted by the Joint Commissioner, the Secretary, and other staff from the Pareekshabhaven (Office of the Commissioner for Government Examinations).
The Directorate of General Education is made up of the Joint Directors, Regional Deputy Directors, Deputy Directors, and Assistant Directors of Higher Secondary and Vocational Higher Secondary. The department has several Joint Directors who assist the Director in the management and supervision of the department. Each Joint Director is responsible for a specific area, such as primary education, secondary education, or higher secondary education.
The Deputy Directors are responsible for the day-to-day management of the department. They are responsible for implementing policies and programs related to education at the district level.
The Assistant Directors are responsible for the implementation of policies and programs related to education at the school level. They provide technical support to the headmasters and teachers of government schools.
Revenue Districts
District offices, supervised by Deputy Directors of Education (DDEs), are located in each of the 14 revenue districts for administrative convenience and to increase the effectiveness of school instruction. Each revenue district has Educational Districts and Educational Sub-Districts.There are educational districts and educational sub-districts inside each revenue district, each headed by District Educational Officer (DEO), and Assistant Educational Officer (AEO) respectively.
Educational Districts
Each educational district is headed by a District Educational Officer (DEO). In the State, 41 Educational District Offices headed by District Educational Officer (DEO) for the administration of High Schools, Training Schools and other special types of schools.
Educational Sub-districts
In the State, there are 163 educational sub-district offices headed by Assistant Educational Officers (AEO) for the administration of all primary schools within the sub-district. The Assistant Educational Officer (AEO) is responsible for administration and supervision of both upper and lower primary schools.
Higher Secondary Wing (DHSE)
The Higher Secondary Wing (formerly Directorate of Higher Secondary Education) is a specific division within the Directorate of General Education. It is responsible for overseeing and managing the higher secondary education system in the state. The Higher Secondary Wing focuses on the education provided to students in grades 11 and 12, commonly known as the higher secondary level or pre-university level or plus two level.
Vocational Higher Secondary Wing (DVHSE)
Vocational Higher Secondary Education Wing is a specialized division within the General Education Directorate that focuses on vocational education at the higher secondary level.
Bodies/Agencies
Line Departments/ Directorates
- Directorate of General Education (DGE)
- Directorate of General Education (Higher Secondary Wing) (HSE Wing)
- Directorate of General Education (VHSE Wing)
Allied institutions / Atteched Offices
- Samagra Shiksha Keralam (SSK)
- Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE)
- Kerala State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT)
- Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority (KSLMA)
- State Council for Open and Lifelong Education (SCOLE Kerala)
- Kerala Board of Public Examination (KBPE)
- Kerala Board of Higher Secondary Examination (DHSE Examination Board)
- Kerala Vocational Higher Secondary Examination Board (VHSE Examination Board)
Heads of Departments (HODs)
| Designation | Incumbent | Department/Agency | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director of General Education | Umesh NSK IAS | Directorate of General Education | [3] |
| State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha Keralam | Dr Supriya A R | Samagra Shiksha Keralam | |
| Director, SCERT Kerala | Dr Jayaprakash R K | State Council of Educational Research and Training, Kerala | [4] |
| Chief Executive Officer, KITE | K.Anvar Sadath | Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education | [5] |
| Director, Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority | A .G. Oleena | Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority | [6] |
| Executive Director, SCOLE Kerala | Dr. Jinesh Kumar Eramam | State Council for Open and Lifelong Education - SCOLE | [7] |
| Commissioner of Government Examinations, Kerala | Umesh NSK IAS
(Director of General Education) |
Office of The Commissioner of Government Examinations |
List of Education Ministers
References:[8]
Following is the list of Education Ministers of Kerala before the bifurcation of the Education Department into General Education and Higher Education:
| Sl. No. | Minister | Term | Party | Chief Minister | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C. Raveendranath | 2016–2021 | CPI(M) | Pinarayi Vijayan | |
| 2 | V. Sivankutty | 2021–2026 | CPI(M) | Pinarayi Vijayan | |
| 3 | N. Samsudheen | 2026–Incumbent | IUML | V.D. Satheesan | |
See also
References
- "General Education Department – General Education Department" (in Malayalam and English).
- "Secretaries to Government of Kerala". Government of Kerala. Government of Kerala. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- https://education.kerala.gov.in/directorate-of-general-education/
- https://education.kerala.gov.in/scert/
- "KITE". kite.kerala.gov.in. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- "Administration". literacymissionkerala.org. Archived from the original on 15 July 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- https://www.scolekerala.org/
- "General Info - Kerala Legislature". www.niyamasabha.org. Retrieved 22 April 2026.