Writ petition challenges TRB notification on TET

MADURAI: The Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Thursday has sought a reply from the National Council for Teachers Education (NCTE) as its notification regarding teachers' eligibility test (TET), paves way for even a failed

 

 candidate to be appointed as school teachers.

              A petition was filed by one Gibson, the correspondent of CMS Montgomery Primary School in Palayamkottai in Tirunelveli district, seeking relaxation to reserved categories of SC/ST, OBC and differently-abled (DA) people in TET, based on the notification issued by NCTE on February 11, 2011. When the matter came up for hearing, the petitioner's counsel argued that on May 22, this year, the Teachers' Recruitment Board (TRB) issued a notification fixing a minimum of 60% as qualifying marks in TET to all categories of candidates including SC/ST, OBC and DA, which was illegal. According to the TRB, a person who secures 60% or more in the TET paper I examination and possesses prescribed qualification for the post of secondary grade teacher in Tamil Nadu will be considered as TET paper I pass.

                The counsel further explained that according to the guidelines of NCTE dated February 11, 2011 regarding TET, the school managements of government, local bodies, government aided and unaided have discretion regarding giving relaxation to the reserved categories of SC/ST, OBC and DA in the qualifying marks in TET at the time of appointment. Besides, the Central Board of School Education conducting central teachers' eligibility test at the national level also ensured the rights of the school managements regarding relaxation to reserved categories, he narrated. But, the state's TRB has seized the rights of the school managements in giving relaxation to the reserved categories by its notification dated May 22, the counsel contended. Since the petitioner school is a Christian minority institution it is giving reservation to Christian candidates at the time of appointment on a preferential basis. Now, due to the TRB's notification, the school management is unable to maintain it during the appointment process.

              Hence, the petitioner prayed the court to stay the results of TET held on August 17 and 18 in 66 educational districts and give direction to the TRB to release a fresh notification.