Teachers’ Body to Seek PM Modi’s Intervention on TET Exemption for 25 Lakh Pre-2010 Educators

ABRSM to approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on June 18, urging legislative relief after Supreme Court upholds mandatory TET requirement for in-service teachers.

A major teachers' organisation is set to appeal to the Central government for relief from the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) requirement for educators appointed before 2010, arguing that the move could impact more than 25 lakh teachers across the country.

The Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh (ABRSM) has announced that it will submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on June 18, seeking a permanent exemption for teachers recruited before August 23, 2010.

The appeal comes in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to dismiss review petitions challenging its 2025 judgment that made TET mandatory for in-service teachers who still have more than five years of service remaining. While the court extended the compliance deadline until August 31, 2028, teacher bodies maintain that the ruling has created uncertainty for lakhs of experienced educators.

ABRSM argues that teachers appointed before the introduction of TET were recruited under the rules prevailing at the time and should not be subjected to new eligibility conditions retrospectively. The organisation plans to seek legislative amendments to protect the service conditions, seniority and benefits of affected teachers.

According to estimates cited by teacher groups, more than 25 lakh teachers nationwide could be impacted by the directive. States such as Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala are expected to face the largest challenges. In Tamil Nadu alone, nearly 3.9 lakh teachers are reportedly serving without TET qualifications.

Teacher unions have expressed concern that the requirement could worsen teacher shortages, particularly in rural and underserved regions, where recruitment challenges already exist. They point to historically low TET pass percentages and argue that decades of classroom experience should be recognised alongside formal certification requirements.

The dispute traces its origins to the Supreme Court's ruling in the Anjuman Ishaat-e-Taleem Trust case, which emphasised the need to maintain teaching standards under the Right to Education framework. After more than 65 review petitions were rejected, teacher organisations are now shifting their focus from the courts to Parliament, hoping the government will intervene through policy or legislative measures.

The June 18 memorandum is expected to intensify the national debate over balancing teacher quality standards with job security for long-serving educators.