New Delhi, November 14, 2025 – V. Annamalai, National Secretary of the All India Federation of Elementary Teachers Organisations (AIFETO), addressed a massive nationwide teachers’ protest at Jantar Mantar, representing the unified voice of 50 lakh educators.
His fiery speech demanded justice, dignity, and respect for the community that forms the backbone of the Indian education system. “Teachers are the builders of every profession, having taught Prime Ministers, Judges, and IAS officers. Yet, today, we are being pushed to the edge through unfair policies, humiliation, and uncertainty.”
Annamalai strongly condemned the recent Supreme Court verdict making the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) mandatory even for experienced in-service teachers, threatening them with dismissal.
* Double Standard: He highlighted the stark contrast with the Judiciary: when the direct appointments of 252 Munsiff-Magistrates were challenged, the Supreme Court ruled they could not be disturbed. “Justice for Judges—but why injustice for teachers?” he demanded.
* Legal Inconsistency: The Right to Education (RTE) Act of 2009 did not make TET mandatory, and the NCTE itself confirmed that teachers recruited before August 23, 2010, did not require it. He asserted that the decades of service and experience of teachers is their ultimate qualification.
* Core Demand: AIFETO demands the immediate scrapping of compulsory TET for working teachers and the introduction of refresher training instead, as “Training enhances quality and is not punishment.”
The second major focus was the fight for Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and the dignity of retired employees.
* Pension is Deferred Wage: AIFETO Annamalai stressed that pension is not a gift, but the deferred wage of a lifetime of service.
* Nullifying Nakara Judgment: He slammed the Central Government for passing the Central Services (Pension) Validation Bill, 2025, which effectively nullifies the landmark D.S. Nakara judgment (1982). This judgment mandates that “all pensioners must be treated as one homogenous group,” regardless of their retirement date. The new provision, which allows pensions to vary based on the date of retirement, is “an attack on dignity.”
* 8th Pay Commission Exclusion: He condemned the government for ignoring 69 lakh existing pensioners while announcing the formation of the 8th Pay Commission for 50 lakh serving employees, asking, “Is retirement the crime? Is service to the nation punishable?”
* Core Demand: Restore the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for all Central and State employees and withdraw the Validation Bill that nullifies the Nakara judgment.
The Final Warning
Concluding his address, AIFETO Annamalai issued a strong warning to the government. “We are 50 lakh voices. We are from every district, every village, every state. Teachers may not enter Parliament, but we create every person who does,” he warned. “If the government chooses to turn a deaf ear, the final verdict will be delivered by the citizens of this country through the forthcoming State Assembly and Parliamentary Elections.”
The message echoing from Jantar Mantar is clear and non-negotiable: “Justice for Teachers. Respect for Teachers. Dignity for Teachers.”
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