Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Wednesday expressed serious concern over the dismal pass percentage in this year’s Teacher Eligibility Tests (TET), sparking discussions about the quality of teacher recruitment in the state.
According to results announced on Tuesday, only 458 out of 8,240 candidates (5.56%) cleared TET-I, while 1,589 of 32,286 candidates (4.92%) passed TET-II.
These results have alarmed both job aspirants and education authorities.
TET-I qualifiers are eligible to teach classes I to V, while TET-II qualifiers can teach classes VI to VIII.
“The low pass percentage in TET-I and II this year is a matter of concern,” Saha told reporters.
He stated that the state teachers’ recruitment board had been asked to explain the reasons behind the poor performance.
“If we cannot recruit quality teachers, how can we ensure quality education in our government schools? We will investigate and address the issues,” he assured.
In response to protests by TET aspirants over alleged discrepancies in some answer keys, the Chief Minister, who also holds the Education portfolio, stated that he had discussed the matter with the board.
“The board maintains that there were no irregularities or errors in the answer keys. If candidates are dissatisfied, they are free to approach the courts,” he added.
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Earlier in the day, Saha participated in a felicitation ceremony for 82 meritorious students from Tripura Board of Secondary Education (TBSE)-run and Vidyajyoti Schools who excelled in the Madhyamik and Higher Secondary examinations.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Minister reiterated the importance of quality education and assured steps to improve the state’s academic standards.
