SC’s TET mandate causes fear and confusion among teachers in state

Several teachers’ organisations are writing to the state government seeking clarity whereas there are plans to write to Chief Justice of India Bhushan Gavai, requesting to reconsider the decision.

Subhash More working president of the Shikshak Bharti Association, a teachers’ organisation, said, “If the SC ruling is made applicable as it is, more than one lakh teachers will lose jobs which indirectly means several government-run and aided schools will face severe shortage of teachers

Days after the Supreme Court ruling that makes Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) compulsory for new appointments as well as for those already in service; there is an atmosphere of fear and confusion among teachers across Maharashtra. Teachers complain that more than lakh of them will be jobless if TET is now made mandatory for those already in service.

The TET is a mandatory eligibility criteria for appointment of teachers in schools from classes 1 to 8, especially in all government-run and aided schools. It was introduced in the year 2013. And all those appointed before this year were exempted from TET. According to SC ruling the TET mandate continues for new appointments. But it also states that teachers already in service without TET, will have to pass it within the next two years to continue their jobs or accept compulsory retirement. Additionally, even those with less than five years of service will have to pass the exam in order to be eligible for promotion.

This has caused panic and confusion among teachers across the state. Several teachers’ organisations are writing to the state government seeking clarity whereas there are plans to write to Chief Justice of India Bhushan Gavai, requesting to reconsider the decision.

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Subhash More working president of the Shikshak Bharti Association, a teachers’ organisation, said, “If the SC ruling is made applicable as it is, more than one lakh teachers will lose jobs which indirectly means several government-run and aided schools will face severe shortage of teachers, which is dangerous to school education system. Since education is a subject on the Concurrent List (shared jurisdiction of state and central governments), the state government should not make the SC’s decision mandatory, but instead provide relief to the teachers of the state.” More told that a state-wide meeting was held on Sunday to address panic among teachers across Maharashtra and it was decided to write to CJI seeking reconsideration of the decision.

On the other hand, Maharashtra Purogami Shikshak Sangathna, another teachers’ organisation, has written to the state government requesting to provide clarity on the matter. State head of the organisation, Tanaji Kamble, said, “If such a decision is implemented, teachers who might be affected will be those with multiple years of experience, because all of them are appointed before 2013. Letting such senior teachers go will be a huge loss to the school education system. As a result, there is a great level of panic across the state. And a complete silence by the state government is adding to that confusion. The state government should clarify their stand so teachers’ organisations can decide their plan of action.”

Teachers’ associations also pointed out that some other states have taken a stand against the ruling such as Kerala government’s decision to submit a review petition seeking clarity on the recent ruling.

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