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The Tamil Nadu School Education Department has announced that three special Teachers’ Eligibility Tests (TET) will be conducted in January, July, and December 2026, in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive making TET mandatory for all teachers handling Classes 1 to 8. The order applies to teachers working in government and government-aided schools who must clear the test to retain their positions and qualify for promotions.
In an official government order dated October 13, 2025, the department stated, “Based on the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, the Government of Tamil Nadu has decided to conduct special TET examinations for serving secondary grade and graduate teachers in January, July, and December 2026.”
According to the order, the Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) has been authorised to issue notifications for these special exams. The first notification is expected to be released in the last week of November 2025, and the first phase of the exam (Paper I and II) will likely be conducted on January 24 and 25, 2026. Notifications for the July and December 2026 tests will be released later.
Officials said the move follows the Supreme Court’s ruling that all teachers must clear TET within two years to continue in service, except those who have less than five years left before retirement. The court also clarified that clearing TET is “a prerequisite for promotions and no exemptions will be granted.”
According to data shared by the department, over 1.7 lakh teachers in government schools are yet to qualify the TET. Many teachers in private schools are also affected by the ruling. The department has directed District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) to organise special coaching sessions for teachers appearing for the upcoming tests.
A senior education department official said, “The TRB has been instructed to ensure a smooth conduct of all three special TETs in 2026 and to consider holding additional rounds in 2027 based on the number of teachers who remain unqualified.”
Meanwhile, the state government has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court seeking clarification on certain aspects of the ruling, including its retrospective application.
Since its inception in 2012, Tamil Nadu has conducted six TET examinations, with a total of 37.28 lakh candidates appearing. Of them, only about 1.68 lakh candidates (4.5%) have successfully cleared the test.
The Tamil Nadu government has also issued a government order cancelling the Class 11 public examination starting this academic year. The decision, which was first proposed in the State Education Policy, aims to reduce academic stress on students.
The public exam for Class 11 was introduced in 2018 to ensure schools covered the full syllabus before Class 12. Under the new policy, schools will conduct internal assessments instead, marking a significant shift in the state’s secondary education evaluation system.
