TET Mandate vs. Seniority: Punjab Education Dept Stands Firm Amid Teachers' Outcry

The Punjab School Education Department has enforced a strict "No TET, No Promotion" policy, barring teachers from career advancement unless they clear the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET). Citing a Supreme Court judgement in the case of Anjuman-E-Taleem Trust vs State of Maharashtra, the department clarified that while senior teachers with less than five years left until retirement may continue in their current roles without the test, clearing the TET is now a mandatory prerequisite for all future promotions.

The directive has triggered a sharp reaction from the Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF), Punjab. DTF state president Vikramdev Singh and other leaders labelled the move "unjustified", pointing out that the 2011 Right to Education (RTE) mandate should not apply retroactively to teachers recruited in 2010 or earlier. The union has urged the Punjab government to provide exemptions for veterans who entered service based on the merit criteria of their time.

The department has announced a schedule for counselling and verification of eligible teachers to ensure compliance. Verification and station choice will be held on January 29 for teachers from Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, and Pathankot. This will be followed by Sangrur, Mansa, Bathinda, Moga, Faridkot, and Fazilka on January 30, while teachers from Ferozepur and Ludhiana will undergo verification on February 2.

The department warned that station allotment will be strictly based on merit and availability, and any attempt to exert external influence will invite disciplinary action.

Source: Times of India