TET aspirants demand clarity on eligibility norms

HYDERABAD: Aspirants complained of confusion following the release of the latest Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) notification by the education department, stating that it did not mention provisions for in-service teachers' eligibility.

Under the notifications predating August 23, 2010, in-service teachers were explicitly deemed eligible to take the TET. However, the latest notification has omitted this crucial provision.

With the application window for the exam slated to be open till April 10, teachers are caught in a dilemma: whether to apply, and if so, which paper to opt for. The prevailing uncertainty has fuelled frustration among teachers, prompting some of them to seek clarification from the higher authorities.

Hamsa Veni Thummala, a primary school teacher, told Deccan Chronicle: "The authorities' erroneous stance has left us in distress. We urgently need clarity on whether in-service teachers remain eligible for the TET."

Bhaskar R, a representative of the Teachers' Union, sought immediate action and said that the education department must provide clarity within two days and convene a meeting of union leaders to address this matter. "We've been preparing for years now and deserve fairness in the TET process," he said.

Worsening the confusion are questions surrounding the eligibility criteria for promotions, as per the Telangana High Court's interim orders and National Council for Technical Education (NCTE) regulations. Doubts linger regarding whether specific categories of teachers must pass specific TET papers for promotion.

Teachers are also seeking answers on various fronts, including whether primary school headmasters and language pandits, who were appointed as special grade teachers (SGTs) before August 23, 2010, need to pass TET Paper-1 for promotion to PGTs; whether teachers with intermediate, TTC/D.Ed and degree, BEd qualifications, who were appointed as SGTs by the TSPSC, should be considered eligible for promotion to PGTs if they pass TET Paper-1; and clarification on the applicability of TET to school assistants for primary/secondary levels, given that the Right To Education Act applies only to levels 1-8, and the TET is applicable up to these levels as per NCTE regulations.

Aspirants are now calling for a separate TET for in-service educators, if deemed necessary, and they are "willing to furnish detailed information to facilitate the process with the education department."

Many doubts

The latest notification for the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) has left teachers puzzled

· Teachers say the notification does not mention eligibility for in-service teachers

· There were several questions on promotion criteria

· Do primary school headmasters and language pandits, appointed special grade teachers (SGTs) before August 23, 2010, need to pass TET Paper-1 for promotion to PGTs?

· Are teachers with intermediate, TTC/D.Ed and degree, BEd qualifications, appointed SGTs by the TSPSC, considered eligible for promotion to PGTs if they pass TET Paper-1

· Teachers seek clarification on the applicability of TET to school assistants for primary/secondary levels, given that the Right To Education Act applies only to levels 1-8, and the TET is applicable up to these levels as per NCTE regulations.