Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has unveiled a landmark higher education reform by removing the Plus Two requirement for admission to undergraduate programmes, opening the doors to university for thousands of students with Polytechnic Diploma and Industrial Training Institute (ITI) qualifications.
Under an order issued by the Higher Education Department, the new eligibility norms, based on the National Credit and Qualification Framework (NCrF), will come into effect from the 2027–28 academic year across state universities and their affiliated colleges.
Students who complete a two-year ITI course after Class 10 will become eligible for direct admission to the first year of four-year undergraduate programmes. Those who complete a three-year Polytechnic Diploma after Class 10, or a two-year diploma after Class 12, will be eligible for lateral entry into the second year (third semester) of degree courses.
The move is aimed at expanding academic progression and creating wider pathways to higher education for vocational students. The Higher Education Department has directed the Director of Technical Education to ensure implementation of the revised admission norms across all universities, based on the recommendations of a special committee of the Kerala State Higher Education Council.
The government has decided to treat ITI and Polytechnic qualifications as equivalent to the Plus Two requirement for degree admissions. Candidates from these streams will also have to complete prescribed online language courses to satisfy language proficiency requirements before securing admission.