Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 26: The J&K Teachers Forum (JKTF) today strongly opposed the retrospective applicability of the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), seeking Government’s immediate intervention.
Click here to watch video
Addressing a press conference here, members of the Forum warned that the move would “destabilize” the education system and inflict severe distress on thousands of teachers, recruited lawfully decades ago.
The Forum, which has also submitted a memorandum to the Government, said the move amounts to “rewriting the rules of recruitment decades after appointments were made.”
The teachers have called on the Government to intervene immediately to protect the dignity and careers of in-service teachers.
The concerns follow a Supreme Court judgment making TET mandatory for teachers.
JKTF said while it fully respects the apex court, applying the ruling to those already in service is “unjust and contrary” to principles of natural justice.
The Forum noted that prior to the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, Central laws did not automatically extend to J&K and had to be adopted by the State legislature.
Teacher recruitment, it stressed, was conducted through transparent and merit-based processes, including selections by the J&K Services Selection Board, departmental recruitment under Article 309 of the Constitution, and promotions via Departmental Promotion Committees. Teachers were also appointed under schemes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rahbar-e-Taaleem (ReT), following prescribed guidelines, it said.
JKTF said many serving teachers hold professional qualifications such as B Ed, M Ed, D Ed, and M Phil, meeting the eligibility norms at the time of their recruitment.
“Questioning their validity now not only destroys careers but undermines faith in the Government’s own recruitment systems,” it said. The Forum warned that forcing teachers with two or three decades of service to sit for exams at this stage is “humiliating and demoralizing.” Legally, JKTF said, the retrospective applicability of TET undermines constitutional guarantees under Articles 14, 16 and 21.
The Forum urged the J&K administration to submit a formal petition to the Union Government and Education Ministry, clarifying that TET should apply only prospectively to future recruits.
It also recommended forming a high-level committee of legal experts, educationists and teacher representatives to strengthen quality education without jeopardizing livelihoods.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
