File appeal against apex court order: TESTF to govt

TIRUCHY: Tamil Nadu Elementary School Teachers Federation (TESTF) urged the state government to initiate steps to appeal against the mandatory TET for school teachers and claimed that the exam is not necessary for the teachers who had already been appointed based on seniority or by the TRB exam.

Speaking to reporters at Tiruthuraipoondi in Tiruvarur, N Rangarajan, the General Secretary of TESTF, said the Supreme Court has issued an order against the school teachers about the mandatory TET. “This is an absolute threat to the lakhs of school teachers, and so the State government should take special interest in the issue and solve it for the benefit of the teachers,” Rangarajan said.

Rangarajan pointed out that in a previous instance, the state government had conducted a short-term training programme for all the teachers and declare that everyone passed the examination.

“Similarly, the state government should initiate steps for the special training programme and prevent them from appearing for TET,” he said.

He also stated that the teachers who were appointed before 2011 were given employment based on either employment seniority or by clearing the TRB exam.

“The TET is required for the entry posts only and not for those who are already on the roll,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rangarajan thanked the state government for organising a meeting with experts to discuss the issue and asked the government to immediately file an appeal against the court ruling, while the Federation would also file an appeal, he added.