TET mandatory for teachers under RTE Act, Centre tells Lok Sabha
New Delhi, Aug 3 (TNT): The Centre on Monday informed the Lok Sabha that the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) is a mandatory minimum qualification for appointment of teachers in schools covered under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, as upheld by the Supreme Court.
In a written reply in the House, Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi said recruitment, service conditions and deployment of teachers fall under the jurisdiction of the respective State Governments and Union Territory Administrations, as education is a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution.
He said information relating to teachers appointed prior to 2013 who may be affected by the mandatory TET requirement is maintained by the respective state governments and Union Territory administrations.
The Union Minister referred to the Supreme Court’s judgment dated September 1, 2025, which held that TET is one of the minimum qualifications prescribed under Section 23 of the RTE Act and is mandatory for appointment as a teacher in schools covered under the Act.
He further informed the House that while disposing of review petitions, the Supreme Court, in its judgment dated May 29, 2026, extended the deadline for acquiring the TET qualification from August 31, 2027, to August 31, 2028.
The apex court also observed that the appropriate governments and authorities should endeavour to conduct the Teacher Eligibility Test periodically, preferably twice a year, with an interval of around six months between examinations, to provide eligible teachers reasonable opportunities to acquire the prescribed qualification, the Union Minister added.
TNT KM
