SC order compels Bengal primary teachers to clear TET for job, promotion
The Statesman | 24 September 2025The order affects nearly 150,000 primary school teachers in the state. Those who have not cleared TET will have to appear for the exam again. Earlier this month, a division Bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih ruled that teachers with more than five years of service must qualify in TET to continue teaching. The court said that those unwilling or unable to pass may resign or opt for compulsory retirement with terminal benefits. Teachers due to retire within the next five years, however, are exempt.
The ruling has triggered widespread concern among educators. “Neither the Right to Education Act nor NCTE rules mention such a condition. Yet the Supreme Court has issued this verdict,” said Swapan Mondal, general secretary of the Bengal Teachers and Employees Association. “We immediately wrote to both the Union education minister and the state education minister seeking intervention. The primary board has acted, but the secondary board remains silent. We expect quick action.” The move is likely to affect a significant portion of Bengal’s teaching community, with many fearing job insecurity even after years of service.
