CHENNAI: Teachers’ associations have welcomed a Madras High Court direction to the school education department to consider a representation seeking clarity on the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) requirements for in-service teachers and pass appropriate orders within eight weeks.
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, in its order dated August 3, directed the department to consider the representations submitted by a secondary grade teacher.
The representations sought clarity on whether teachers appointed as secondary grade teachers, but currently teaching classes 6 to 8, should appear for TET Paper I or Paper II. The petitioner had also sought an in-service teacher refresher course instead of TET.
Reacting to the order, R Doss of the Tamil Nadu Elementary Teachers Organisations-Joint Action Committee (TETO-JAC) said an early resolution on the TET requirements for in-service teachers is needed. “Several court cases relating to TET have put enormous pressure on secondary grade teachers, most of whom are women. This is also affecting the education of students,” he said.
Another secondary grade teacher said announcing the results of the recently conducted Special TET for in-service teachers would be beneficial in the long run. “It is only because there is a special TET that we can seek certain concessions.
The government should also take into account the legal challenges against conducting a separate TET for in-service teachers. The results should be announced at the earliest to safeguard the special TET,” he said.