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Failed to clear TET in time: About 7,000 elementary teachers face imminent termination
Vacating an earlier interim stay, the Bombay High Court last week allowed the state government to go ahead with implementing its policy, making clearing TET mandatory for elementary teachers – teachers teaching standards I to VIII.
About 7,000 elementary teachers across Maharashtra are set to lose their jobs for failing to comply with the additional requirement of clearing teachers eligibility test (TET) in time. Vacating an earlier interim stay, the Bombay High Court last week allowed the state government to go ahead with implementing its policy, making clearing TET mandatory for elementary teachers – teachers teaching standards I to VIII.
A division bench of justice SC Dharmadhikari and justice RI Chagla refused to interfere with the policy decision primarily in view of the fact that it was in larger public interest. The bench said ultimately such policies are framed so as to improve the quality of education which can be done only when totally eligible and duly qualified persons are appointed as teachers. “Those who are familiar with the subjects and who cleared the necessary tests alone can be expected to impart quality education.”
It noted that primary education shapes the mind and personality of a child. “If right values are not inculcated and imbibed at this early age and the child is not exposed to subjects like languages, basic mathematics, social studies, he would not be interested in education,” it said, adding, “The teachers have to inculcate the value and importance of education in them. The same cannot be left to parents and the society as a whole.”
The court was hearing a number of petitions filed by individual teachers challenging orders issued by the director of education to terminate the elementary teachers who have failed to clear TET by the cut-off date of March 30, 2019.
The requirement of TET was introduced by the National Council of Teachers Education (NCTE), as the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, lays down the requirement of a test over and above the basic qualifications like B.Ed. and D. Ed. RTE Act came into force on April 1, 2010 and the NCTE introduced the TET in August 2010.
The state government adopted the policy three years later, in March 2013. In November 2017 the state government set March 30, 2019 as the last date for clearing TET for elementary teachers and accordingly informed all concerned. It was also decided that the teachers failing to clear TET before the cut-off date will be terminated. The state government has accordingly stopped disbursing salaries of about 7,000 elementary teachers across Maharashtra with effect from January 1, 2020.
The bench disposed of the petitions saying all the teachers were required to obtain the qualification and after failing to clear the test within stipulated period “they must give way to those who possess such qualifications.”
The bench has, however, restrained the director of education from terminating the elementary teachers, who have appeared for TET test, until the results are declared.
