Teachers waiting for TET results under pressure

Salaries of more than 2,500 government-aided school teachers in the State werewithheld as they have not cleared TET, even after seven years.

In accordance with the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act), the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) had made TET mandatory to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in Classes 1 to 8.

Secondary grade teachers, who teach from Classes 1 to 5, would have to pass TET Paper-I. Likewise, graduate teachers who handle Classes 5 to 8, should clear TET paper-II.

The paper one and paper two exams of TET were held on July 8 and 9 respectively and the results were expected to be published in the third week of July.

Sources from Tamil Nadu Teacher’s Recruitment Board (TNTRB), which conducts TET, said that the answer sheets have not been evaluated fully yet. TNTRB sources further added that the results are likely to be published in the first or second week of August.

A senior official from the School Education Department said that as per the rule, the results must be published within 40 days after TET was conducted.

Tamil Nadu Teachers Association President P K Ilamaran said that the authorities have assured that the results will be published within 40 days. “The delay in the results have put lots of stress on the affected teachers, who did not get salary for the past five months,” he added.

K Suresh, a graduate teacher at AJS government-aided school in Adambakkam, said the financial burden will increase on the affected teachers if the result delays further. “Many of the teachers have started taking up part-time jobs to run their families,” he added. Suresh has also been affected by the pay cut.