Teachers Must Clear TET for Promotions, Says SC

Hyderabad

The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday dismissed all review petitions challenging its September 2025 judgment that made the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) mandatory for in-service teachers, while extending the deadline for qualifying from August 31, 2027, to August 31, 2028. Teachers' unions in Telangana expressed disappointment that the court declined to exempt teachers appointed before the TET regime came into force from the requirement.

A bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Manmohan retained the core findings of the Anjuman Ishaat-e-Taleem Trust judgment, which requires in-service teachers with more than five years of service remaining to clear TET as a condition for continuation in service. and makes the qualification mandatory for promotion. The court found no error in the earlier verdict and dismissed all review petitions after modifying only the timeline for compliance. The petitions had been filed by several state governments, including Telangana, teacher organisations and individual teachers.

Responding to the ruling, Telangana State United Teachers Federation (TSUTF) president Chava Ravi and general secretary A. Venkat said the extension did not address the central issue raised by teachers. "It is regrettable that TET exemption has been denied to in-service teachers. The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) and the state government have clearly stated that TET was not required for teachers who have been in service for the last 15 years. Despite this position, exemption has been denied," they said.

Teacher organisations had approached the Supreme Court seeking protection for teachers appointed before August 23, 2010, when the NCTE notification prescribing TET came into effect.

TSUTF maintained that many teachers entered service under recruitment rules that did not require TET and had spent 15 to 30 years in classrooms. Unions estimated that nearly 45,000 teachers in Telangana could be affected, while national organisations have claimed that lakhs of pre-2010 appointees across several states fall within the ambit of the ruling.

The apex court rejected the contention that the requirement amounted to a retrospective alteration of service conditions. Referring to Section 23 of the Right to Education Act, the bench said the law itself contemplated the acquisition of minimum qualifications by teachers already in service and that the statutory scheme did not invalidate earlier appointments.

Addressing concerns about large numbers of teachers losing their jobs, the court said educational standards could not be compromised. The Bench granted additional time under Article 142 of the Constitution and extended the compliance period from two years to three years, directing that the qualification be acquired by August 31, 2028. It also said states should conduct TET periodically and preferably twice a year.

While the court made it clear that "no further prayer for extension of time shall be entertained", TSUTF said the Centre should amend Section 23 of the Right to Education Act in Parliament to protect teachers appointed before the TET notification.