Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 24: A meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Teachers Forum was held today at Hari Singh Park, Jammu, under the leadership of UT President Mohammed Ashraf Sheikh to deliberate upon issues concerning in-service teachers, particularly the matter related to the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET).
Addressing the gathering, Mohammed Ashraf Sheikh urged the of J&K to immediately file a review petition before the Supreme Court to safeguard the interests and careers of thousands of in-service teachers appointed prior to 31-10-2019. He stated that these teachers were appointed strictly under the rules and eligibility conditions prevailing at the time of their appointments and therefore should not be subjected to retrospective application of TET norms.
During the meeting, detailed discussions were held regarding the implications of the judgment passed by the Supreme Court in Anjuman Ishaat-e-Taleem Trust vs. State of Maharashtra & Others, Civil Appeal No. 1385 of 2025. The Forum expressed serious concern that any misinterpretation of the judgment in the context of J&K could adversely affect thousands of teachers appointed before the extension of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and NCTE Regulations to Jammu & Kashmir on 31-10-2019.
The Forum highlighted that the NCTE Notification dated 23.08.2010 exempts teachers appointed prior to the enforcement of NCTE Regulations, 2001 from acquiring TET and related qualifications. It further stated that the Right to Education Act, 2009 and NCTE Regulations became applicable to Jammu & Kashmir only after 31-10-2019, and teachers appointed prior to that date were selected under the recruitment rules and eligibility conditions prevailing in the erstwhile State.
The Forum maintained that teachers of Jammu & Kashmir appointed prior to 31-10-2019 also deserve protection. It was further stated that any discriminatory interpretation would violate the principle of equality guaranteed under Article 14 of the Constitution of India and cause grave injustice and hardship to thousands of serving teachers.
The Forum appealed to the Union Education Minister, Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister and Education Minister of J&K to intervene urgently and issue appropriate clarification regarding the applicability of the aforesaid judgment to the teachers of Jammu & Kashmir.
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