Government order on Teachers Eligibility Test marks upheld

Chennai: The Madras HC upheld on Monday the weightage system and the methodology adopted for computing marks awarded in the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) by the state government for recruiting teachers. A division bench, comprising justices S.K. Agnihotri and M.M. Sundresh, dismissed a batch of about 59 appeals and petitions from aspiring candidates, challenging the weightage system and the methodology adopted for computing marks awarded in TET. Originally, the government had fixed the criteria in a G.O. in 2012; this was challenged in the high court and a single judge, while upholding its validity, directed the government to follow his suggestion or any other rational methodology.

Accordingly, the government changed the methodology, but a batch of petitions and appeals were filed, challenging the new system and methodology and the single judge’s order. The bench said selection was contemplated by giving weightage of 60 per cent marks obtained in TET and only 40 per cent to marks obtained in the basic qualification examination. It was for the petitioners to demonstrate that this methodology was not correct.

The government has found fit to adopt the suggestions of the single judge as being reasonable and fair. In such view, we do not find any illegality in passing the government order. The petitioners also cannot demand as a matter of right that they should be given preference based on their registration in the employment exchange, the bench added.