Chennai
Experts say TET only tested their memory skills and not the aptitude or ability of the aspirants.
For S Vijayalakshmi, a 26-year-old teacher aspirant from Nungambakkam, mathematics is her favourite subject, in which she has earned a BSc degree in 2016. However, the graduate found maths questions in the Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET) so difficult that she is yet to clear the examination despite attempting twice so far. She is among the thousands who are struggling to clear the hurdle called test, which is mandatory to be appointed as a teacher.
Of the total 1.62 lakh candidates appeared for TET Paper-I held in June 2019, only 410 secured pass mark, while only 316 could crack TET Paper-II out of the 3.8 lakh candidates who wrote the exam.
Most of the candidates who appeared for both papers allege that the questions were tougher than even Central Teachers Eligibility Test (CTET) that is held at the national level for the aspirants aiming for a job in Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools.
“Though I could not clear Tamil Nadu TET, I was able to secure pass mark in Central TET,” claimed S Sreekumar, alleging that the questions in both papers of TN-TET were from out of syllabus.“There is no proper TET coaching centres in Tamil Nadu compared to centres that offer training for CTET,” he claimed.
For the past several decades, a graduate degree with a BEd was the qualification required to apply for teachers’ job in government schools. But in accordance with the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) made TET mandatory to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in Classes 1 to 8. Secondary grade teachers who teach Classes 1 to 5 have to pass TET Paper-I, while graduate teachers who handle Classes 5 to 8 have to clear TET Paper-II.
However, sources said most of the private schools do not hire teachers on the qualification norms laid down by the State government.
“Our BEd course has one of the best curriculum in the country. Those successfully completing it is fully qualified to become teacher. However, the teacher aspirants now have to clear TET even if they hold a BEd degree, which theyfeel is irrelevant,” said S Savithiri, principal of a government aided school in Tambaram.
Even some of the Parents-Teachers Association members echoed the same view. “We have quality teachers both in government and private schools. It is harsh to impose TET on teaching aspirants as they have enough qualification to teach the students. In other States, TET is a simple process and the pass percentage is higher than Tamil Nadu. The government should either simplify TET or abolish it,” said S Ramanujam, member of the Parent-Teacher Association of the government school in Chromepet.
The teaching fraternity opined that the test should be simplified and also made relevant by appointing experts and academicians to reset the exam pattern.“There is no Central rule that TET question papers have to beof a certain standard. It is up to the State to decide,” said a teacher on condition of anonymity.
One of the biggest concerns of the candidates, including those teachers who have been working as teachers in the last few years, is that the common entrance in a range of subjects, including maths, science and humanities, while they have expertise in one or two subjects in which they majored during graduation.
The candidates have to appear for subjects like child pedagogy, English, Tamil, mathematics, social science for both Paper I and II. However, in the case of BEd degree, those from the arts stream are trained to teach subjects like history, civics, geography and languagesbesides child pedagogy, while those from the science stream aretrained to teach mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology besides child pedagogy.
K Suresh, a graduate teacher at AJS government-aided school in Adambakkam, said, “Any graduate will specialise only one subject. So a teacher aspirant who had chosen Tamil as the main language for undergraduate degree will find difficult to answer tough questions in English, mathematics, and science.”
Suresh said the questions in both TET papers were not based on the curriculum of the degree course or BEd course. “While many competitive exams are objective type, the questions for TET are lengthy and come from out of syllabus,” he said.
M Geetha Lakshmi, an aspirant who has failed to clear the test even after three attempts, said apart from their subject specialisation, candidates also have to clear tests in child pedagogy and development, Tamil and English language components as a part of the exam.
“Compared to Central TET, questions appearing in child pedagogy is very difficult,” she said,adding that many of them were clueless as to from where some of the questions were selected.
Educationist PB Prince Gajendra Babu said the present TET exams failed to test the candidate’s teaching ability and aptitude. “It checks only the memory skills,” he said. He also pointed out that the TET may be conducted like other competitive exams, where there are objective questions that are straightforward.
When asked about the reasons for so many candidates unable to clear the exams, a Tamil Nadu Teachers Recruitment Board (TNTRB) official admitted that the question paper for both papers weretough. “The government is examining the possibility of changing the exam pattern. It is still under discussion,” he said.
The official added that the government was planning to conduct free coaching for teaching aspirants coming from a poor background.
Speaking to DT Next, School Education Director S Kannappan said that government was taking all measures to conduct TET exams as per the norms. “Regular feedbacks from the experts were taken into consideration in preparing the questions,” he said, adding that the government has no plans to abolish TET, as it is mandatory for appointment of teachers especially in government schools.
Visit news.dtnext.in to explore our interactive epaper!
Download the DT Next app for more exciting features!
Click here for iOS
Click here for Android