Supreme Court Mandates TET Passing for Teachers of Classes 1-8. Job to be Lost if Not Passed in Two Years. Teachers to File Review Petition. TET Necessary for Both Job Retention and Promotion.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued a significant order making it mandatory for all teachers teaching classes one to eight to pass the TET (Teacher Eligibility Test) by September 1, 2025. According to the court, teachers must pass the TET within the next two years, failing which their jobs will be at risk.
This order will apply to lakhs of teachers working in government, government-aided, and non-aided schools across the country. The Supreme Court has also clarified that passing the TET will be mandatory for promotions.
Which Teachers Will Be Affected?
This decision will also apply to teachers whose appointments were made before the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act. However, teachers with less than five years of service remaining in their tenure have been granted exemption from the TET requirement to continue in their jobs. But even these teachers will have to pass the TET for promotions.
Some teachers from Uttar Pradesh, while arguing in the Supreme Court, requested an exemption from the TET mandate for promotions. Their lawyer, Rakesh Mishra, stated that a review petition will be filed against this decision.
Why Are Teachers Protesting?
Candidate teachers argue that in many cases, they have only a few years left in their service. In such a scenario, the mandate to pass the TET to retain their jobs and get promotions could put them in a difficult situation.
Teachers also contend that if the court intended to issue this order for teachers nationwide, all states should have been issued notices, and the situation of teachers in each state should have been debated. The order has been passed without this process.
Supreme Court's Order and Rules
The Supreme Court has clarified that passing the TET will be mandatory within two years. As per the current rules, the TET exam is conducted every six months. This means teachers can appear for the exam four times in two years. If the demand for an extension of time is accepted in the review petition, teachers will get more opportunities.
TET is a two-level examination. Primary TET is for teachers who teach classes one to five. Upper TET is for teachers who teach classes six to eight. Passing the TET is mandatory for promotion.
Long-Term Impact of TET Mandate
The impact of this decision is not limited to government schools only. Teachers in all aided and non-aided schools will also be affected. This has created new challenges for teachers who have been serving for a long time.
Anil Yadav, National President of the All India BTC Teachers' Association, stated that passing the TET will now be necessary for both job retention and promotion. This could create difficulties for lakhs of teachers.
TET Passing Timeline and Review Petition
The Supreme Court has decided that teachers must pass the TET within two years. However, teachers are now preparing to file a review petition in the Supreme Court. In this petition, they will request an extension of time and relief for certain categories of teachers.
Rahul Pandey, former District President of the Primary Teachers' Association in Uttar Pradesh, said that all teachers need to unite and decide the next course of action. He noted that while the Supreme Court had approved the mandate for TET for promotions, it has now been extended to job retention as well.
TET Preparation and Examination Process
Teachers will need to prepare for the TET examination process. They will have opportunities to take the exam four times within two years. Preparations for both Primary and Upper TET will be different to pass the TET.
Teachers will ensure that they pass both levels of TET for their jobs and promotions. School administrations and education departments will also provide teachers with information about the examination and necessary assistance.
