Thiruvananthapuram
Kerala Education Minister V. Sivankutty on Monday announced that the state government will challenge the Supreme Court’s recent order making the Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET) mandatory for all in-service teachers of Classes 1 to 8 in non-minority schools.
The apex court’s September 1 ruling requires even teachers appointed before the Right to Education (RTE) Act of 2009 to clear TET to continue in service and become eligible for promotions. Sivankutty said the order could adversely affect nearly 50,000 teachers in Kerala.
“The judgment complicates promotions and appointments. Teachers’ groups believe retrospective application is unfair to long-serving educators,” Sivankutty noted. He added that since education falls under the Concurrent List, central laws prevail, but the state will file a review petition or seek clarity from the court.
According to the order, teachers with less than five years of service left may continue until retirement but cannot be promoted without clearing TET. Those with more than five years must pass the exam within two years or face compulsory retirement with benefits.
The ruling is based on the RTE Act, its 2017 amendment, and the 2010 National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) notification setting uniform teacher standards. While acknowledging the impact on veteran teachers, the court said minimum qualifications are vital to ensure quality education.
Sivankutty stressed that Kerala has historically protected existing staff whenever teacher qualification rules were revised. He criticised both UPA and NDA governments for failing to include similar safeguards when TET was introduced.
The ruling, he warned, could have sweeping implications across India, affecting lakhs of teachers in government, aided, and private schools.
