Chennai News: The Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Improvement Association has urged both the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government to exempt teachers who joined service before 2011 from appearing for the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET). The demand comes after a Supreme Court ruling requiring such teachers to clear the examination by August 2028. The association said the ruling has created uncertainty over the job security of thousands of teachers who were appointed before the Right to Education (RTE) Act made the TET mandatory.

The demand was raised during the state executive committee and general committee meeting of the association held at Mudichur near Tambaram, Chennai. The meeting was chaired by the association’s State President T Thiagarajan and attended by more than 1,000 teachers, including state and district executive committee members and general committee representatives. Several resolutions relating to teachers’ welfare, job security and service conditions were unanimously adopted during the meeting.

Why Is The TET Issue Back In Focus? Following the implementation of the Right to Education Act in 2011, clearing the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) became mandatory for appointments to the posts of secondary teachers and graduate teachers. Teachers recruited before the Act came into force were not required to qualify the examination at the time of their appointment. However, after a petition sought to make the test compulsory for pre-2011 recruits as well, the Supreme Court ruled on September 1 last year that teachers appointed before 2011 must also pass the TET by August 2028.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, T Thiagarajan said the Supreme Court’s ruling had placed the future of teachers who have been serving for several years under uncertainty. He urged the Tamil Nadu government to press the Central government to provide a complete exemption for teachers appointed before the TET requirement was introduced. The association also called for an amendment to the relevant law during the current session of Parliament and urged the state government to formally approach the Supreme Court to seek further clarification on the judgment.

Teachers Warn Of Impact On School Education: The association said many teachers may be forced to take extended leave to prepare for the TET in order to safeguard their jobs. It warned that this could adversely affect teaching in government schools and urged the Tamil Nadu government to intervene and find a solution to avoid disruption to students’ education.

Association Renews Demand For Old Pension Scheme: Apart from the TET issue, the association also reiterated its demand for the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). It urged the Tamil Nadu government to fulfil its election promise of reinstating the old pension scheme for teachers and implement it without further delay.