Shillong: The Meghalaya Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Schools Association (MSSASA) has decided to file a review petition before the Supreme Court, challenging its September 1 verdict that requires all in-service teachers to clear the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) to remain in service.
The decision was taken unanimously during a general meeting of the association held in Shillong on Monday.
MSSASA president Aristotle Rymbai said the move follows legal advice to contest the retrospective application of the apex court’s order, which, he said, would adversely impact many long-serving teachers nearing retirement.
“This judgment has far-reaching consequences for thousands of teachers who have served for decades. We have resolved to act collectively and seek a review,” Rymbai said.
He noted that the court’s ruling was based on the 2010 notification issued by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) and subsequent amendments made to the Right to Education (RTE) Act in 2017.
Rymbai also recalled that the state’s Education Department had earlier exempted teachers appointed before August 23, 2010, from the requirement of clearing the Meghalaya TET (MTET).
However, the Supreme Court’s decision has now overridden that exemption, bringing all serving teachers under the ambit of the TET mandate.
Clarifying further, Rymbai said the Central TET (CTET) and the MTET are considered equivalent, and teachers who have already cleared the CTET will not be required to take the state-level test again.
He added that the state government is currently studying the implications of the court order and expressed hope for a solution that safeguards the interests of experienced teachers.
According to figures from the Education Department, Meghalaya has about 43,102 teachers.
Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui had earlier said that the Supreme Court’s ruling could affect between 10,000 and 15,000 of them.
