Government school teachers in Telangana are under pressure due to the latest rule that makes TET qualification compulsory. A total of 45,742 teachers must appear for the exam even though they are in service. The exam will begin on January 16, and only 45 days are left for preparation. Teachers say that it is difficult to study while handling regular duties and family responsibilities. They fear that limited time may affect their results.
Teachers are also worried about subjects that they do not teach in school. A Social Studies teacher must also study Maths, Science and Language teaching methods. Many teachers have been teaching only one subject for years. They say it is very stressful to cover the full syllabus within a short period. Teachers also want extra preparation time and change in syllabus rules for in-service staff.
According to the Supreme Court ruling, TET is compulsory for government teachers. The rule will affect promotions and service eligibility. Teachers appointed through DSC without earlier TET requirement must also qualify now. They say they did not plan for the exam because TET was not mandatory for many years.
Teachers demand exemption for those appointed before August 23, 2010. They say the rule should only apply to teachers appointed later. They plan to continue appealing to state and central governments for a fair decision.
