Supreme Court: TET mandatory for continued service of teachers

Srinagar, Sept 02: The Supreme Court has ruled that passing the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) is mandatory for all school teachers, including those appointed before the TET requirement was introduced. The ruling affects both continued employment and eligibility for promotion.

The judgment was delivered by a bench comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Manmohan in a series of civil appeals, including Anjuman Ishat-E-Talim Trust vs State of Maharashtra & Others. The case centered on whether teachers hired before July 29, 2011—the date when the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) made TET mandatory for teaching classes 1 to 8—must also clear the exam to remain in service.

According to the reports,the bench also clarified that for retirement benefits, teachers must fulfill the required period of qualifying service. If there is any shortfall, the concerned department will take a decision on the matter as per rules.

Guidelines Issued by the Court

The Court laid out specific directions for serving teachers:

Teachers with less than five years until retirement
May continue in service without passing the TET, but will not be eligible for promotion unless they clear the test.

Teachers with more than five years until retirement
Must pass the TET within two years. Failure to do so will result in compulsory retirement or termination, with retirement benefits paid as applicable.