ANANTAPUR: Large numbers of teachers are in a serious predicament vis-à-vis the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) introduced by the central government with a view to improve the quality of education in the country.
While there are 14 lakh teachers across the country, more than 1.80 lakh teachers are yet to qualify TET. They must do so by August 2028 – the amended deadline for passing the test, or face the prospect of losing their job as per a Supreme Court verdict.
The TET notification was issued on Thursday. The last date for applications is July 5 and the test will be conducted from August first week till August 22.
Relaxation is given to those having less than five years of service. The rest of the teachers who had not qualified previously should get themselves qualified by August 2028.
The OC candidates should get 90 marks while BCs 75 and SC/STs 60 marks for qualifying.
Teachers even at the age of 55 and those who got appointments after 1996 till the 2017 batches need to qualify in TET. Else, they lose their jobs and will not be entitled to any pension benefits, sources said.
As TET is mandatory, teachers were applying for the present schedule announced by the state government.
“Many are now planning to apply for VRS if they are unable to clear TET by August, 2028”, a teacher said and added that she had appeared for the last TET but could not get the qualifying marks.
TET has been a big challenge even to fresh graduates and TTC holders.
While the Supreme Court has reiterated that all in-service government school teachers must qualify the teacher eligibility test within the stipulated time-frame to continue in service, a big challenge awaits teachers.
A bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan dismissed a batch of review petitions filed by various teachers’ associations, state governments and individual teachers challenging its September 1, 2025 judgment a few days ago.
The petitions had sought reconsideration of the apex court’s ruling that teachers appointed before the enactment of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, and having more than five years of service remaining, must clear TET as a mandatory qualification.
While refusing to alter its earlier decision, the court granted limited relief by extending the deadline for acquiring TET qualification from two years to three years. Teachers who were earlier required to qualify by August 31, 2027, will now have time until August 2028 to clear the examination.
The bench made it clear that, except for the extension of time, all directions contained in the original judgment will remain in force.
The Supreme Court emphasised that the TET requirement is linked to ensuring quality education under the RTE framework and cannot be diluted at the cost of students’ educational interests.
Navy Andhra Teachers Union president Harikrishna told Deccan Chronicle that the Centre should make amendments in the Right To Education policy to give relaxation for senior teachers across the state.
“All the teachers with academic qualifications and who also succeeded in the recruitment test should not face another test. There was no mention of TET from 1996 till 2017”, he recalled and pleaded with the state government to mount pressure on Centre to amend the Education Policy.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
