Four in five Zilla Parishad teachers in Maharashtra lack TET qualification

The state government also plans to intensify awareness campaigns and has begun conducting the TET twice a year, giving teachers more opportunities to qualify.

According to official data, Maharashtra’s 34 Zilla Parishads have 1,87,389 sanctioned teaching posts, of which 1,75,155 are currently filled. However, only 38,786 teachers possess TET qualification, accounting for just 22.14 per cent of the teaching workforce in ZP schools.

Among districts, Palghar has the highest proportion of TET-qualified teachers, with more than 35 per cent of its teaching staff having cleared the examination. At the other end, Dhule, Gadchiroli and Chandrapur have the lowest proportions, with fewer than 9 per cent of teachers holding the qualification.

“The data indicates that there are huge number of in-service teachers in ZP schools of Maharashtra, who do not have the TET qualification. The state plans to intensify awareness activities among teachers to obtain TET qualification as soon as possible so that by the end of the extended deadline maximum number of teachers will have TET qualification,” said an official.

What is TET?

The Teachers Eligibility Test is a qualifying examination introduced by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) to ensure minimum teaching standards in elementary education. Under the RTE Act, clearing TET is mandatory for appointment as a teacher in government and government-aided schools.

Although the mandate came into force after NCTE guidelines were issued in 2011, implementation varied across states. In Maharashtra, the first state-level TET examination was conducted only in 2013.

Need for Support

Education experts cautioned that awareness campaigns alone may not be sufficient, particularly when ZP schools are already grappling with teacher shortages.

“Apart from just the awareness on clearing TET, the government should also provide in-service teachers with required study material, expert guidance and time to prepare for TET,” said a senior teacher.

Vijay Kombe, state president of the Maharashtra Rajya Prathamik Shikshak Samiti, welcomed the increase in examination opportunities but called for additional measures.

“The state government has now started two attempts a year for TET, which is useful. But it should also provide some relaxation in syllabus or review the cut-off score, as since its implementation TET has been very difficult for candidates to clear,” he said.

Concerns Over Retrospective Applicability

The Supreme Court has held that all in-service teachers must clear TET, irrespective of when they were appointed. The ruling has sparked concern among teachers who entered service before the examination was introduced.

“As a result there was no uniform implementation of TET. We welcome the clarity brought by the SC. But as per this, even those teachers who have been appointed before TET was implemented are supposed to clear the exam, which is unfair,” said a ZP teacher appointed in 2010.

The teacher argued that appointments made before TET was introduced were based on the eligibility norms prevailing at the time and should not now be treated at par with those lacking mandatory qualifications.

The Supreme Court’s original order making TET compulsory for all in-service teachers had been challenged through review petitions. While dismissing those petitions last month, the court granted limited relief by extending the deadline for obtaining TET qualification until August 2028.