Teachers’ organisations from across India have launched a coordinated campaign against the mandatory implementation of the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for certain in-service teachers, demanding amendments to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009. The move comes after a recent Supreme Court ruling that teacher groups describe as “unjust,” prompting the formation of a national platform and the announcement of a nationwide protest on Teachers’ Day (September 5).

Representatives of teachers’ organisations from multiple states met in New Delhi under the initiative of the Democratic Teachers’ Front, Punjab, to discuss the challenges faced by lakhs of in-service teachers following the implementation of the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET).

The meeting resolved to oppose the mandatory application of TET for teachers who were recruited before the enactment of the RTE Act, 2009, as well as teachers of subjects that were earlier exempted from the TET requirement. The organisations argued that these categories of teachers should not be subjected to the eligibility test retrospectively.

To strengthen their campaign, the participating organisations announced the formation of the Joint Teachers’ Front of India, a nationwide platform that will seek amendments to the RTE Act to exempt the affected teachers from mandatory TET requirements.

Beyond the immediate issue, the newly formed front said it would also raise concerns related to teachers’ welfare, public education, and what it termed “privatisation-oriented” education policies at the national level.

A six-member Central Coordination Committee was constituted to lead the movement. The committee includes Jagdish Yadav, Vijender Mor, Vikram Dev Singh, Hitendra Sahasi, Bhaskar Ghosh, and Manjeet Rana.

The organisations also announced a nationwide protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, on September 5, coinciding with Teachers’ Day. Teachers affected by the Supreme Court decision have been urged to participate in large numbers.

Representatives from Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, and Uttarakhand attended the meeting, while organisations from Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and several other states extended support through messages.

As part of the campaign, awareness programmes and public outreach initiatives will be conducted at the state, district, and block levels to mobilise teachers and build public support.

The Joint Teachers’ Front of India also warned that if the Central Government does not amend the RTE Act during the current session of Parliament to address the mandatory TET issue, it will launch a sustained nationwide agitation beginning on September 5 from New Delhi.