Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a bunch of petitions seeking inclusion of Shiksha Mitras in the special Teachers Eligibility Test (TET), 2026, which is going to be organised for working teachers.
Dismissing the petitions, Justice Manju Rani Chauhan said the petitioner-Siksha Mitras cannot claim to be eligible to appear in the special examination simply because they are eligible to appear in the general TET.
In this context, the high court also acknowledged that their legal status is different from that of working teachers and the Constitution of India does not require the state to eliminate any distinction based on a valid legal purpose.
In a judgment, the Supreme Court has made it mandatory for all teachers working in government and aided schools to pass TET. According to the order of the apex court, all the teachers currently in service who do not have this eligibility will have to pass the special TET exam within the next one year. In case of not doing so, they may lose their jobs.
Acting in pursuance of this order of the apex court, the Uttar Pradesh government decided to conduct special TET 2026 through the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC) for teachers who are working in government schools.
Rejecting the claim of the petitioner Siksha Mitras for being included in this special TET, the high court said, “This special TET is intended to enable existing teachers, whose continuation in service is subject to TET pursuant to the binding directions of the Supreme Court.” PTI
