Ever since the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) was made compulsory in Tamil Nadu, teachers in the state who were appointed between 2010 and 2012 have allegedly been getting deprived of several benefits because they are yet to clear the test. The Tamil Nadu Teachers Association is demanding that teachers from government-aided schools across the state be given a refreshment training course like the minority school teachers in Madurai, so that they can be exempted from the test.
“Based on the 2009 RTE Act, those who have passed Class 12 and graduated are required to pass TET in order to be eligible for jobs. Due to this, teachers appointed between August 2010 and November 2012 have been suffering because they are being deprived of all monitory benefits excluding their salary until they clear the exams,” the TNTA President PK Ilamaran said.
Ilamaran said that teachers appointed between August 2010 and November 2012, had not been informed about the TET norm but were assured that they would be given a five year relaxation period to attempt the exam. “Teachers were told that they could attempt the exam 10 times in a period of five years. But only four rounds of the exam were held and because of this teachers haven’t been getting annual increments either. This has been happening for the last ten years,” he said.
Now that minority school teachers are getting refreshment training from the District Institute of Education and Training, Ilamaran is demanding that the same be provided to candidates across the state. “The teachers are being given the training this month, so they can be exempted from giving the test. We request the government to give the same kind of training to government-aided school teachers,” he added.
“The teachers appointed during that time were recruited without giving them proper information about the new TET norm. There are 1500 teachers who are suffering due to the rule and continuing to work under uncertain conditions,” he argued.
The TNTA President said that the teachers were promised job security and proper training by the government last February, “The Government promised protection and proper training. It was because of that, the teachers and their families were hoping to live in peace. But so far, they have not seen any action being taken in this regard.”
