In a significant move, the Maharashtra government has issued a directive that will impact hundreds of teachers working in residential schools for tribal children across the state. The tribal development department has mandated that all in-service teachers in Ashram Schools, who have more than five years of service remaining before retirement, must pass the Teachers' Eligibility Test (TET) within the next two years.
Decoding the Government Resolution
The order, formalized through a Government Resolution (GR) issued on Thursday, sets a strict deadline of September 1, 2027. This directive aligns with a landmark Supreme Court ruling from September, which clarified that the TET qualification is mandatory for all teachers handling Classes 1 to 8, including those already in service. The ruling was based on rules framed under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
The GR explicitly states that teachers appointed before the RTE Act's implementation in Ashram Schools under the Tribal Development Department must comply. Failure to pass the TET within the stipulated two-year period will result in the termination of their services. This order marks the first such departmental mandate in the state following the Supreme Court's verdict, bringing long-speculated policy into actionable reality.
Exemptions and Rising Concerns
While the new rule casts a wide net, it does provide a specific exemption. Teachers who have less than five years of service left before their retirement are not required to pass the TET, provided they are not seeking any promotion. This clause offers some respite to those nearing the end of their careers.
However, the order has ignited controversy and anxiety among the teaching community. A primary point of contention is the retrospective application of the rule. Teachers argue that since the TET was not implemented in Maharashtra until 2013, it is unfair to expect those appointed before that date to clear the exam within a tight two-year window. The state's tribal development department oversees nearly 480 Ashram schools, meaning the order directly affects a substantial number of educators.
A Precedent Amidst State-Wide Confusion
The tribal development department's clear stance has thrown into sharp relief the silence from the state's main school education department. For over three months, lakhs of in-service teachers under the school education department have been awaiting clarity on whether the Supreme Court's TET mandate would be applied retrospectively to them.
Mahendra Ganpule, from the Maharashtra School Principals’ Association, highlighted this disparity. He noted that while the school education department has been ambiguous, still "figuring out a way," the tribal development department's GR clearly indicates the state's intent for retrospective implementation. This lack of a uniform, state-wide circular has sown confusion and fear of potential job losses among teachers across Maharashtra.
The GR from the tribal development department has now set a concrete precedent. It signals that the state is moving to enforce the Supreme Court's order, placing the onus on in-service teachers to qualify or face compulsory retirement. The coming months will be crucial as teachers prepare for the exam and other state departments likely formulate their own responses to the judicial mandate.
