SRINAGAR: The Ministry of Education has proposed a comprehensive review of the existing Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) framework, including the rules applicable to teachers already in service, following representations from teachers and other stakeholders and recent judicial observations on the issue.
In an Office Memorandum, the Department of School Education and Literacy said the government had taken note of concerns raised by teachers, teacher associations, educational institutions and other stakeholders over the implementation of the TET requirement.
The proposed exercise will examine the existing eligibility and qualification framework, issues faced by serving teachers required to obtain TET qualification, the frequency of examinations and the practical difficulties involved in appearing for and clearing the test.
The move comes against the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s directions on TET for teachers covered by the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. The court has held that teachers with more than five years of service remaining are required to clear TET to continue in service, while the qualification is also linked to eligibility for promotion.
The Ministry said it had taken note of the Supreme Court’s directions and observations while considering the representations received from various stakeholders.
“In view of the representations received from various stakeholders and with a view to ensuring a transparent, fair and workable framework for teacher eligibility, the Government proposes to undertake a comprehensive review of the existing arrangements relating to TET,” the memorandum said.
As part of the proposed review, the government plans to examine whether the existing eligibility and qualification requirements adequately address the concerns of teachers who entered service under earlier rules but are now required to obtain TET qualification.
The Ministry also proposed measures to ensure that TET examinations are held periodically and at reasonable intervals, an issue that has assumed importance for serving teachers who may need multiple opportunities to meet the eligibility requirement.
The review will also examine practical difficulties faced by in-service teachers in obtaining TET qualification, including issues arising from their existing professional and service commitments, the memorandum said.
The Centre has proposed consultations with State Governments, Union Territory administrations, the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), education experts and other stakeholders before finalising the framework.
The development comes at a time when states are beginning to work out mechanisms to implement the Supreme Court’s TET-related directions. In West Bengal, for instance, authorities have recently been asked to prepare for TET for around 90,000 in-service teachers following the court’s directions.
The Ministry’s memorandum, however, does not itself amend the existing TET requirement. Instead, it proposes a review of the framework and consideration of possible measures, including legislative changes where necessary.
It said the government would examine whether amendments to relevant statutory provisions were required in the larger public interest.
The proposed review could therefore determine how the TET requirement is administered in future, particularly in relation to serving teachers, the frequency of examinations and the statutory framework governing teacher eligibility.
The Centre is yet to announce any final changes to the existing TET requirements.
