Meghalaya to seek review of SC order mandating TET for in-service teachers

Meghalaya Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Tuesday said the state government will file a review petition against the Supreme Court’s September 1 order making the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) mandatory for all in-service teachers, a move that may impact over 32,000 educators statewide.

Rymbui argued that the order imposes a retrospective condition on teachers appointed before the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act in 2009. “Our contention is that this judgment has a retrospective effect. What we want is an exemption for those who were appointed before the RTE Act came into force,” he said.

Following the RTE Act, the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) framed minimum qualifications for recruitment, which Meghalaya has been adhering to, he noted. The minister expressed concern that many pre-RTE teachers may struggle to clear the TET within the two-year deadline mandated by the court. “Around 32,000 plus teachers will be affected by this judgment,” he said.

Rymbui clarified that teachers who have already passed the Meghalaya TET (MTET) or Central TET (CTET) are exempt and their services are secure. He added that the state has consistently recruited teachers as per NCTE norms, making them qualified to continue in service.

The review petition, he said, reflects the government’s responsibility to safeguard the livelihoods of long-serving teachers. “We only seek that their years of experience be considered,” he noted, expressing hope that the Supreme Court would respond favourably.

If admitted, the petition could offer major relief to thousands of teachers appointed before 2009.