TET Certificate 2012: WBBPE to Issue 2012 Primary TET Certificates After Legal Consultation

TET Certificate 2012: Finally, a long wait is about to come to an end. The West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE) has announced its decision to issue certificates to the candidates who passed the Primary Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) in 2012. However, the board has clarified that this distribution will happen only after seeking legal advice. This announcement has brought a sigh of relief to many working teachers who were concerned about their jobs following a Supreme Court directive.

According to a recent Supreme Court order, it is mandatory for all primary teachers to be TET-qualified and possess the necessary certificate as proof. Teachers who were appointed after clearing the 2012 TET were naturally worried as they had not been issued any certificates. To alleviate their concerns, the board has taken this initiative.

The Validity and Controversies of TET 2012

The first-ever Primary TET in West Bengal was conducted in 2012, and it was surrounded by several controversies.

• Exam Marks: Unlike the standard 150-mark format, this exam was conducted for a total of 100 marks. It is believed that each of the five sections had questions worth 20 marks instead of the usual 30.
• Out-of-Syllabus Questions: Allegations were raised at the time that some questions, particularly in the Mathematics section, were from the higher secondary level. A case was filed in the Calcutta High Court regarding this issue.
• Board’s Admission: The then primary education board had admitted that the guidelines of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) were not thoroughly followed while preparing the question paper.

Court’s Observation and Verdict

The case went on for about five years. Finally, the Division Bench delivered its judgment. The justices observed that the teachers had already completed five years of service. In such a situation, awarding full marks to everyone for out-of-syllabus questions would change the sequence of the entire panel, creating a complex scenario.

Considering all aspects and the fact that it was the state’s first TET, the Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court declared the 2012 Primary TET as valid, despite some discrepancies. Therefore, there should be no further questions regarding the legitimacy of this examination.

The Board’s Current Stance

The President of the Primary Education Board, Goutam Pal, stated, “The board does not want teachers to be in trouble. We will definitely issue the certificates, but before that, we will consult with legal experts to review the rules and regulations of 2012 and understand why certificates were not issued at that time.”

In essence, while the board is positive about issuing the certificates, it wants to carefully examine all legal aspects before making a final decision. Once this process is complete, the board will issue a notification detailing when, where, and how the certificates will be distributed. Concerned candidates are advised to keep an eye on the board’s official website or stay in touch with their respective District Primary School Councils (DPSC) for updates.