TET Certificate Delay: High Court Issues Contempt Notice to Education Board
TET Certificate Delay: A contempt notice has been issued to the West Bengal Board of Primary Education for disobeying an order of the Calcutta High Court. This step was taken because the board failed to implement the court’s directive to provide certificates to the candidates who passed the TET in 2014. This incident has created renewed concern about the future of thousands of teachers in the state.
What Exactly Happened?
The issue originated with the 2014 TET examination. At that time, many in-service teachers and other candidates passed the TET, but the board did not issue their certificates. The board had stated that in-service teachers would not need to apply separately for the certificates. However, later on, a Supreme Court ruling made the TET certificate mandatory for both working and aspiring teachers. Following this, the teachers approached the court to get their certificates.
Over the past few years, multiple cases have been filed in the Calcutta High Court regarding this issue. The court, on various occasions, directed the board to issue the TET certificates. However, it is alleged that the board did not comply with these directives. As they did not receive their certificates despite the court’s order, the petitioners approached the court again, accusing the board of contempt of court.
The Contempt Notice and Its Implications
Based on the petitioners’ complaint, the Calcutta High Court has sent a contempt notice to the board’s President, Gautam Pal, and the Secretary, Ranjan Kumar. The notice clearly states that if the court’s order is not complied with within seven days—meaning, if the TET certificates are not issued—contempt proceedings will be initiated against the board. In that event, the board officials may have to appear in court in person.
The following outcomes are possible as a result of this notice:
- Immediate Action: The board might start the process of distributing certificates quickly to avoid legal complications.
- Benefit for Teachers: If the board acts based on this one order, all TET-qualified candidates who have not received their certificates will benefit.
- Legal Battle: If the board remains inactive even after this notice, a contempt of court case will be initiated against them, which could be a major setback for the board.
Given the current situation in the state’s education system, the importance of a TET certificate is immense. In this context, the board’s delay has pushed the careers of thousands of teachers into uncertainty. Now, it remains to be seen what steps the board will take following this contempt notice. The state’s education community and the TET-qualified candidates are now looking forward to the board’s next move.
