Worried teachers across Maha seek relief from giving TET exam

The Supreme Court's ruling mandates all teachers in Maharashtra to pass the TET, causing concern for over 100,000 educators about job security.

Mumbai: The Supreme Court’s recent verdict on the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), has left more than 100,000 teachers across the state worried about their future in the field. The court’s judgement states that all teachers, including aspiring candidates and those already in service, must clear the TET examination to remain eligible for their roles. This ruling is expected to significantly affect schools across the state, including minority institutions, leading to widespread concern among educators.

Worried teachers across Maha seek relief from giving TET exam

The Maharashtra Progressive Teachers Association (MPTA) has voiced strong opposition to the ruling. MPTA state president Tanaji Kamble has demanded that the government clarify its position regarding the verdict immediately to ease the worries of confused teachers.

While TET is mandatory for teachers as per the Right to Education Act, in 2013, the state government passed a resolution exempting teachers appointed before 2013 from taking the test. “The government’s 2013 resolution is still valid,” said Kamble, adding that the TET should not be made mandatory for teachers who have been in the profession since before 2013. “Teachers appointed after 2013 must pass the TET, and this distinction should be maintained,” Kamble said. He warned that if the government takes an anti-teacher stance, the MPTA would launch a legal battle, escalate the issue at the ministerial level, and even organise state wide protests.

Vice president of the MPTA women’s wing, Hemlata Gavit, also expressed her concerns. She said, “Forcing the TET on teachers appointed before 2013 means jeopardising the future of lakhs of educators. This injustice will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”

Requesting anonymity, a teacher from a minority school said, “For years, we were exempt from TET, but now we are suddenly expected to clear the exam to keep our jobs. It’s unfair to change the rules midway when we have been teaching responsibly for over a decade.” Another teacher, refusing to be named, said that despite having only seven years of teaching left before he retired, he was still being asked to prepare for the test. He added, “After giving my entire life to teaching, I now face the risk of losing my job if I don’t pass. It’s mentally exhausting and creates unnecessary pressure at this stage of my career.”

Meanwhile, Shikshak Bharti, the organisation tasked with teacher recruitments, has taken the matter to the chief justice of India (CJI). In a letter, the organisation highlighted several discrepancies in the TET examinations over the years, including errors in the evaluation process, delays in result declarations, and the lack of grievance redressal.

Subhash More from Shiksha Bharti said, “Lakhs of teacher candidates are suffering due to administrative lapses and inconsistent policies. We urge timely reforms to ensure transparency and fairness.” He added that their letter requested the CJI to allow states to decide what would be best for their teachers. “Education is a concurrent subject and the state has the right to take a decision on the policy,” said More.

Vinodkumar Bhong, a teacher, pointed out that TET had always been a mandatory qualification since the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act in 2011. “While the state government had exempted teachers appointed before 2013 and those in minority institutions, the recent court order overrides these relaxations,” said Bhong. He explained, “Only teachers who have less than five years of service left are excluded. the rest must clear the exam to continue in service.”