Almora: The Hawalbagh Junior High School Teachers’ Association has raised strong objections against the decision to make the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) mandatory for in-service teachers. The association has sent a memorandum to the Prime Minister, demanding reconsideration of the Supreme Court’s September 1, 2025 verdict and relief for teachers who have been serving in schools for many years.
According to the teachers’ association, the Supreme Court ruling states that primary teachers must qualify the TET examination by the age of 55 in order to continue in service and become eligible for promotions. The order also reportedly mentions compulsory retirement for teachers who fail to clear the examination within two years. The decision has created anxiety among thousands of teachers across Uttarakhand and other states.
The association stated that TET became mandatory for new primary teacher recruitment in Uttarakhand only after 2011. Teachers appointed before that period were recruited under different educational and training criteria, including qualifications such as BTC, CP.Ed, B.Ed, and BP.Ed. Later, new recruitment rules introduced compulsory TET qualification along with a minimum of 50 percent marks in graduation and an age limit of 40 years.
Teachers argued that many of those now being asked to clear TET are between 40 and 55 years old. At this stage of life, while handling family responsibilities and official duties, preparing for and qualifying a competitive examination within two years is extremely difficult.
The memorandum further pointed out that teachers are already burdened with several non-academic responsibilities apart from classroom teaching. These include election duties, surveys, census work, disaster management assignments, nutrition campaigns, and other departmental tasks. Under such circumstances, the association termed the two-year deadline “impractical and unfair.”
The teachers also alleged that although the National Council for Teacher Education issued guidelines in 2017 regarding TET for in-service teachers, the state government and education department failed to issue timely instructions. Had the guidelines been implemented earlier, many teachers could have prepared and cleared the examination in time.
The association demanded that teachers appointed before August 23, 2010 should be exempted from the TET requirement. It also urged the government to amend Section 23(2) of the Right to Education Act to protect the service conditions and promotions of such teachers. Until an amendment is made, the association requested the government to bring an ordinance ensuring job security for serving teachers.
The memorandum stated that the current decision has pushed thousands of teachers and their families into uncertainty and mental stress. Many teachers nearing retirement fear losing their jobs despite years of dedicated service, particularly in remote and difficult regions.
The teachers’ association expressed hope that the central government would take a humanitarian and practical approach and initiate measures to safeguard the future and dignity of experienced teachers across the country.
