📝 Test yourself with a quick quiz
10 questions · ~5 min · instant score
Graduate Level intermediate Kerala Firsts K-FON K-DISC Current Affairs Kerala Kerala Achievements
Kerala — Latest Firsts and Achievements (2020-2026)
Study notes on the latest firsts in Kerala — first transgender policy, first AI school, K-DISC, K-FON, Life Mission, and other achievements from 2020 to 2026. Essential for Kerala PSC Graduate Level exams.
Relevant for: Graduate Level Prelims, Secretariat Assistant, University Assistant, LDC
📝
Take a quick quiz
10 Qs · ~5 min
📊
Try a full mock
100 Qs · 75 min · PSC scoring
📋 At a glance
— Study notes on the latest firsts in Kerala — first transgender policy, first AI school, K-DISC, K-FON, Life Mission, and other achievements from 2020 to 2026. Essential for Kerala PSC Graduate Level exams.
#Kerala Firsts
#K-FON
#K-DISC
#Current Affairs Kerala
#Kerala Achievements
Sign in to continue reading
You've read 5 free study notes. Sign in to unlock all 270+ notes.
Free forever — no payment needed for study notes.
Or
Kerala PSC frequently asks about “firsts” and recent achievements. This note covers the most important recent developments (2020-2026) that have appeared or are likely to appear in upcoming exams.
1. K-FON (Kerala Fibre Optic Network)
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full form | Kerala Fibre Optic Network |
| Launched | 2021 (phased rollout); fully operational by 2023 |
| Objective | Provide free high-speed internet to BPL families and affordable broadband to all households |
| Implementing agency | Kerala State IT Infrastructure Limited (KSITIL) |
| Network length | Over 30,000 km of optic fibre cable |
| Coverage | All 14 districts; connects government offices, schools, hospitals, and households |
| Significance | Kerala became the first state to declare internet as a basic right |
| Speed | Up to 20 Mbps for BPL families (free); higher speeds at subsidised rates |
| Connected institutions | 30,000+ government offices, schools, and hospitals |
2. K-DISC (Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council)
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full form | Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council |
| Established | 2018 |
| Chairman | Chief Minister of Kerala |
| Vice Chairman | Noted experts/academics |
| Role | Think-tank for innovation policy, startup support, technology adoption, and knowledge economy |
| Key initiatives | Young Innovators Programme (YIP), Innovation Grants, Fellowship programmes |
| Young Innovators Programme | Encourages school/college students to develop innovative solutions for real-world problems |
| Innovation zones | Supported creation of innovation zones in districts |
3. Transgender Policy and Welfare
| Achievement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Kerala Transgender Policy | 2015 — Kerala became the first state in India to have a comprehensive transgender policy |
| Social Justice Department | Nodal department for transgender welfare |
| Transgender Justice Board | Established to address grievances and ensure rights |
| Identity cards | Transgender ID cards issued through SJD |
| She-Taxi | Taxi service operated by women and transgender persons (launched 2013) |
| First transgender school teacher | Appointment made under inclusive education initiatives |
| Sahaj International Transgender Kalamahotsavam | Annual arts festival for transgender community |
4. AI and Digital Firsts
| Achievement | Year | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| First AI school (public) | 2021 | Government HSS Njalianparambu, Thiruvananthapuram — CBSE-affiliated AI curriculum pilot |
| AI and Robotics labs in schools | 2022-23 | Under KITE (Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education); labs in 300+ schools |
| KITE (formerly IT@School) | 2017 (renamed) | Manages IT education infrastructure; provides laptops, digital content |
| E-governance (e-District) | 2009-ongoing | All districts have e-District services; certificates issued online |
| Akshaya centres | 2002 (first in Malappuram) | India’s first district-wide e-literacy project; now multi-service ICT centres |
| Digital university (Digital University Kerala) | 2020 | India’s first digital university; HQ: Thiruvananthapuram |
5. LIFE Mission (Livelihood, Inclusion, and Financial Empowerment)
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Launched | 2016 (by CM Pinarayi Vijayan) |
| Objective | Housing for all — provide houses to homeless and landless families |
| Phases | Phase 1: Housing for landless; Phase 2: Housing for homeless on their own land |
| Houses built | Over 3 lakh houses completed (as of 2024) |
| Funding | State + Central (PMAY) + local government + CSR + donations |
| Significance | One of India’s most successful housing programmes at the state level |
| LIFE survey | Comprehensive survey identified ~4.32 lakh landless/homeless families |
6. Health Sector Firsts
| Achievement | Year | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| First state to report COVID-19 case in India | January 2020 | Kerala’s Thrissur district; student returned from Wuhan |
| Break the Chain campaign | 2020 | Hand hygiene and social distancing campaign during COVID-19 |
| Nipah virus management | 2018, 2023 | Kerala effectively contained Nipah outbreaks (Kozhikode); WHO praised the response |
| Aardram Mission | 2017 | Transform PHCs into Family Health Centres (FHCs); patient-friendly infrastructure |
| e-Health Kerala | 2016 | Integrated health management system; digital health records |
| First palliative care policy in India | 2008 | Kerala pioneered community-based palliative care; Neighbourhood Network in Palliative Care (NNPC) |
| 100% primary health centre coverage | Ongoing | Every ward has access to a sub-centre or PHC |
| First to achieve 100% COVID vaccination (1st dose) | 2021 | Among the first states to vaccinate all eligible adults (1st dose) |
7. Education Firsts
| Achievement | Year | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| First fully literate state | 1991 | Ernakulam — first fully literate district (1990); Kerala declared fully literate on 18 April 1991 |
| 100% primary education | Ongoing | Universal enrolment and retention |
| KITE digital classrooms | 2017+ | High-tech labs and smart classrooms in all government schools |
| First state to have high-speed internet in all schools | 2023 | Via K-FON |
| First state with complete digital textbooks | 2018 | SCERT Kerala digitised all textbooks; available via KITE app (Samagra) |
| Hi-Tech School Project | 2016-17 | 45,000 classrooms converted to hi-tech; laptops, projectors, smart TVs |
8. Environmental and Disaster Firsts
| Achievement | Year | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| First state to create Biodiversity Board | 2005 | Kerala State Biodiversity Board |
| Suchitwa Mission | 2008 | Cleanliness and waste management mission |
| Haritha Keralam Mission | 2016 | Comprehensive environmental programme: waste management, organic farming, water conservation |
| 2018 Kerala Floods response | 2018 | Century’s worst floods; massive rescue (Fishermen’s flotilla); “Kerala’s own navy” |
| Rebuild Kerala Development Programme (RKDP) | 2018 | Rs. 45,000 crore programme for resilient reconstruction after floods |
9. Governance and Social Firsts
| Achievement | Year | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| First state to achieve 100% banking (financial inclusion) | 2012 | Ernakulam district — first; all households with bank accounts |
| First state with complete civil registration | Ongoing | 100% birth and death registration |
| Kudumbashree | 1998 | India’s largest women’s self-help group network; 45+ lakh members; micro-enterprises, NHGs |
| Smart Kitchen scheme | 2021 | LPG and kitchen equipment for BPL families |
| Snehapoorvam scheme | 2008 | Financial assistance to orphans and children from BPL families |
| She-Lounge | 2020 | Women-only safe spaces/rest areas in public places |
| Gender Park | 2013 | India’s first Gender Park at Kozhikode — for gender equality research and programmes |
| BUDS schools | 1990s | Special schools for differently-abled children under LSGIs |
10. Infrastructure Firsts
| Achievement | Year | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Kochi Metro | 2017 | First metro rail in Kerala; operated by Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) |
| Kochi Water Metro | 2023 | India’s first water metro; battery-electric boats connecting islands in Kochi |
| Vizhinjam International Seaport | Under construction (2024-26) | India’s first deep-water transshipment port; Adani Ports; Thiruvananthapuram |
| SilverLine (K-Rail) | Proposed | Semi high-speed rail: Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod (530 km); controversial; surveys ongoing |
| Kannur International Airport | 2018 | Kerala’s 4th international airport; PPP model |
| First state with fully electrified railways | Ongoing | Indian Railways electrifying all Kerala routes |
| First state-wide EV policy | 2019 | Kerala Electric Vehicle Policy — promote EV adoption; subsidies for electric autos |
11. Recent Awards and Recognitions for Kerala
| Recognition | Year | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| UN Public Service Award | 2020 | For Kudumbashree’s COVID response |
| Best Governance Practices | Multiple | Kerala frequently wins awards for e-governance and health outcomes |
| SDG India Index | 2020-21 | Kerala ranked No. 1 among states in NITI Aayog’s SDG Index |
| Human Development Index | Consistently | Kerala has India’s highest HDI (0.784 — near developed-nation levels) |
| Highest literacy rate in India | 2011 Census | 93.91% (India average: 73%) |
| Lowest infant mortality rate | 2022 | 6 per 1,000 live births (India average: 28) |
12. Previous Year PSC-Style Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| K-FON stands for? | Kerala Fibre Optic Network |
| Which state first declared internet a basic right? | Kerala |
| Kerala’s transgender policy was introduced in? | 2015 |
| First fully literate district in India? | Ernakulam (1990) |
| Kerala declared fully literate on? | 18 April 1991 |
| Kudumbashree was launched in? | 1998 |
| Kochi Water Metro was launched in? | 2023 |
| Digital University Kerala is headquartered at? | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Kannur International Airport started operations in? | 2018 |
| K-DISC stands for? | Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council |
| LIFE Mission was launched in? | 2016 |
| India’s first Gender Park is at? | Kozhikode, Kerala |
| First COVID-19 case in India was reported in? | Kerala (Thrissur), January 2020 |
| SDG India Index 2020-21 top state? | Kerala |
Found an error or have a suggestion?
Thank you! Your feedback has been submitted.