Supreme Court: Teachers Eligibility Test Now Mandatory for Continuation and Promotion in Teaching Service
Teachers With Less Than Five Years to Retirement Granted Relief; Minority Institution Question Referred to Larger Bench
The Supreme Court has ruled that clearing the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) is mandatory for all teachers who wish to continue in service or seek promotion. The judgment, delivered by Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih, applies to a batch of petitions from states including Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, and reaffirms the standards set by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) since 2010 for Classes I to VIII.
However, the Court granted limited relief for teachers who have less than five years left before retirement, allowing them to continue without qualifying the TET. All other teachers must pass the TET to remain in service; failing to do so could mean compulsory retirement with terminal benefits.
A key constitutional issue was also flagged for future consideration—the Court referred the question of whether the state can mandate TET for minority institutions, potentially impacting their rights, to a larger bench.
This landmark decision strengthens teacher quality standards and ensures minimum qualifications for educators, confirming the centrality of TET in school recruitment, retention, and advancement policies across India.