Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the Basic Education Department to file a review petition against the Supreme Court’s recent order that made the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) mandatory for serving teachers as well as new applicants. The move has sparked discussion across the education sector, with the state government arguing that experienced teachers should not be forced to take the test after years of service.
The Chief Minister’s Office shared the decision on social media platform X. The post said: “The Basic Education Department has been instructed by the CM to file a revision against the Hon’ble Supreme Court order mandating TET for serving teachers.” It further added that the government values the contribution of its teachers and believes that their experience and training should not be ignored. “The state’s teachers are experienced and have been provided training from time to time by the government. Ignoring their qualifications and years of service is not justified,” the post said.
This development comes after the Supreme Court’s ruling, which laid down strict guidelines regarding the eligibility of teachers. The judgment has raised concerns among many in-service teachers, especially those who have been working in schools for decades and now face the possibility of losing their jobs if they fail to clear the TET within the given timeframe.
The Supreme Court bench, consisting of Justice Dipankar Dutta and Justice Manmohan, had earlier declared that the TET would be mandatory not only for aspiring teachers who want to join government schools but also for in-service teachers who are already working and seeking promotions.
However, the court also introduced some exceptions to balance the ruling. Teachers who are close to retirement — specifically, those with less than five years of service left — do not need to pass the TET to continue in their current jobs. But if they want to be promoted before retirement, they must still qualify for the test.
The ruling also made a distinction for teachers who were appointed before the Right to Education (RTE) Act came into force in 2009. For such teachers, the Supreme Court said that if they have more than five years of service left before retirement, they must pass the TET within two years. If they fail to do so, they will lose their teaching jobs. In such cases, teachers will only receive terminal benefits such as pension and retirement funds.
Another key part of the judgment was its treatment of minority educational institutions. The court clarified that its order would not apply to teachers working in schools with minority status. The bench explained that the issue of whether the RTE Act is applicable to minority schools is still pending before a larger bench of the Supreme Court. Until that matter is resolved, TET will not be compulsory for teachers working in such institutions.
The Uttar Pradesh government believes that the Supreme Court’s decision could cause unnecessary pressure on teachers who have been serving faithfully for many years. The Chief Minister has pointed out that teachers in the state have regularly undergone government training programs to keep their skills updated. Therefore, making them appear for an eligibility test now is being seen as an unfair measure.
The CM’s office emphasized that the experience and qualifications of teachers should not be disregarded. According to the government, many teachers have already proved their competence in classrooms through years of service, and their promotions or job security should not be tied to passing a fresh test.
By directing the Basic Education Department to file a review petition, the state is hoping to get some relaxation for in-service teachers, especially those nearing retirement or those who have been continuously serving before the introduction of new rules.
The issue has also raised larger debates in the education sector about how to balance the need for quality education with respect for the experience of teachers. On one hand, the TET is designed to ensure that teachers meet modern educational standards. On the other hand, experienced teachers argue that their years of teaching and continuous training should be considered sufficient proof of their eligibility.
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The review petition by the Uttar Pradesh government will now be placed before the Supreme Court. If the court agrees to reconsider its decision, some changes or relaxations could be introduced for in-service teachers. However, until such a decision is made, the current ruling of the Supreme Court remains in place.
Teachers across the state are closely watching how the matter develops. For many, the ruling has created uncertainty about their careers, while for others it has opened a debate on whether regular eligibility tests should be a part of the teaching profession.
The case also highlights the ongoing tension between ensuring educational reforms and protecting the interests of those who have dedicated their lives to teaching. As the matter returns to the court for review, the outcome will likely set an important precedent for how teachers’ qualifications and experience are valued in the future.
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