Parliament Question: Mandatary Teacher Eligibility Test

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY RAJYA SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO:- 4185 ANSWERED ON-01/04/2026 Mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test 4185 Smt. Rajathi:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) what is the percentage of in-service teachers in India who were appointed before August 23, 2010 against other teachers who do not fall under this category;

(b) details of the representation from the State Government of Tamil Nadu and the action taken to exempt in-service teachers from the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET);

(c) whether the Ministry has conducted any assessment on the potential impact on school education; and

(d) the steps proposed to make necessary amendments in the RTE Act and the NCTE Act to address this crisis situation existing across the nation? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (d): Education is a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and the recruitment, service conditions and deployment of teachers come under the purview of the concerned State Government/UT Administrations. The data regarding the percentage of in-service teachers in India who were appointed before August 23, 2010 against other teachers who do not fall under this category, including in the State of Tamil Nadu, is maintained by the respective State Governments and Union Territory Administrations.

The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, vide its judgment dated 01.09.2025, has held that TET is one of the minimum qualifications prescribed under Section 23 of the Act and is mandatory for appointment as a teacher in schools covered under the Act. The order of the Hon'ble Supreme

Court may be accessed at the following link:

https://api.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2018/36466/36466_2018_9_1501_63764_Judgement_01- Sep-2025 pdf. *****