Parliament Question: Response of Teachers to Reappear for TET

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO:- 3679 ANSWERED ON-10/08/2026 Response of Teachers to Reappear for TET 3679. Shri Isha Khan Choudhury: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government is aware that a large number of in-service primary and secondary school teachers in the country including West Bengal are opposed to appear for the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) again after having served for many years, if so, the details thereof; (b) whether the Government has received any representations from teachers' associations or other stakeholders requesting that serving teachers be exempted from any requirement to reappear in the TET and if so, the details thereof; (c) whether the Government has examined the concerns raised by such teachers regarding the necessity, fairness and rationale of requiring experienced in-service teachers to take the TET again, if so, the details thereof; and (d) whether the Government proposes to take any appropriate measures, including issuing suitable directions or guidelines to ensure that duly appointed and serving teachers are not required to reappear in the TET after years of service, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor? 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 fall within the administrative domain of the respective State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, vide its judgment dated 01.09.2025, inter alia, held that the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) is one of the minimum qualifications prescribed under Section 23 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, and is mandatory for appointment as a teacher in schools covered under the Act. The Hon'ble Supreme Court further directed that eligible teachers shall acquire the prescribed TET qualification within the timeline specified in the judgment. 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 Subsequently, while disposing of the review petitions in the matter, vide judgment dated 29.05.2026, the Hon'ble Supreme Court extended the timeline for acquisition of TET qualification from 31.08.2027 to31.08.2028. The Hon'ble Supreme Court further observed that the respective appropriate Governments/authorities should endeavour to conduct the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) periodically, preferably twice every year, with an interval of approximately six months between successive examinations, so as to afford eligible teachers a reasonable opportunity to comply with the prescribed minimum qualification. The judgment dated 29.05.2026 may be accessed at the following link: https://api.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2025/53434/53434_2025_7_1501_71637_Judgement_29-May- 2026.pdf The Hon'ble Supreme Court, while taking into consideration the practical difficulties faced by in-service teachers recruited prior to the enactment of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, invoked its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution of India and directed that such teachers who have less than five years of service remaining, as on the date of the judgment dated 01.09.2025, may continue in service till attaining the age of superannuation without acquiring the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) qualification. The Hon'ble Court further clarified that such teachers shall not be eligible for promotion unless they acquire the prescribed TET qualification. *****