Over 1.8 lakh teachers across India are under pressure to clear the Teacher Eligibility Test by August 2028 after the Supreme Court retained the mandatory qualification rule.
TET Deadline Creates Fresh Concern Among Teachers
A fresh Teacher Eligibility Test notification has triggered anxiety among many in-service teachers, especially those who have not yet cleared the qualification exam. The application deadline has been fixed as July 5, while the test is expected to be held from the first week of August till August 22. According to the report, OC candidates need 90 marks to qualify, while BC candidates need 75 marks and SC/ST candidates need 60 marks.
1.8 Lakh Teachers Still Yet To Qualify
The issue has become serious because more than 1.80 lakh teachers across India are yet to qualify TET out of nearly 14 lakh teachers. As per the Supreme Court ruling, in-service teachers who have more than five years of service remaining must clear TET by August 31, 2028, to continue in service. The deadline was earlier August 31, 2027, but the court extended it by one more year.
The latest TET schedule has therefore become important for teachers who are yet to clear the exam. With the application deadline set for July 5 and the examination expected from the first week of August to August 22, many teachers are trying to use the present opportunity seriously. For teachers with several years of service left, qualifying TET is no longer just an academic requirement but a major condition linked to job continuity.
Senior Teachers Face Bigger Challenge
Many senior teachers, including those appointed between 1996 and 2017, are now worried about the new requirement. Some teachers who are around 55 years old may also have to appear for the exam if they have more than five years of service left. The pressure is high because failure to qualify within the deadline may affect job security and pension-related benefits, according to the report.
Supreme Court Stands By TET Rule
The Supreme Court recently dismissed review petitions filed by teachers’ associations, state governments and individual teachers. The court retained its earlier view that TET is linked to improving education quality under the Right to Education framework. However, it gave limited relief by extending the compliance period to August 2028.
Teachers’ Unions Seek Relaxation
Teachers’ unions have urged the Centre to consider relief for senior teachers who were recruited before TET became mandatory. Navy Andhra Teachers Union president Harikrishna said many teachers had already cleared recruitment tests and had the required academic qualifications. He argued that there was no TET requirement for several batches appointed between 1996 and 2017. The union has asked the state government to press the Centre for policy-level relaxation for senior in-service teachers.
