TET Mandatory for Teachers: New Directive from the West Bengal Board of Primary Education
TET Mandatory: Following a recent Supreme Court verdict, the West Bengal Board of Primary Education has decided to make the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) mandatory for all in-service teachers in the state. This decision will affect thousands of teachers across the state. In this regard, the board has issued a notification directing all District Primary School Councils (DPSC) to submit detailed information.
Background: The Supreme Court’s Verdict
On September 1, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled in a case that all in-service teachers with more than five years of service remaining must pass the TET exam. This verdict has brought a significant change to the entire country’s education system, and its impact is now being felt in West Bengal’s primary education sector. The Board of Primary Education has taken this step to implement the apex court’s directive.
The Board’s New Directive
A notification has been sent from the Secretary of the Board of Primary Education to all DPSC chairpersons in the state. The notification, referencing the Supreme Court’s judgment, states that a detailed list of teachers affected by this ruling must be prepared. This list is to be submitted to the board within the next 15 days. The commencement of this data collection has caused a stir among the teaching community.
What Information Needs to be Submitted?
According to the information mentioned in the notification, the following details of the affected teachers must be submitted:
- District Name
- Circle Name
- Teacher’s Name
- Designation (Head Teacher or Assistant Teacher)
- Employee ID
- Date of Birth
- Date of Joining
- Date of Retirement
- Academic Qualification
- Training Qualification
Who Will Be Affected?
The main objective of this directive is to identify all teachers who, as of September 1, 2025, have more than five years of service remaining and have not yet passed the TET. The date of retirement will make it easy to determine how much service tenure a teacher has left. Future actions will be based on this data.
The Next Step
After collecting this information, the board will decide on the next course of action. However, the notification does not provide any clear direction on subsequent steps. It is possible that a special TET examination may be organized for the affected teachers, or training arrangements might be made. No final decision has been made on this matter yet. This process is considered a significant step towards improving the quality of primary education in the state.
