Statement from V. Annamalai, National Secretary, AIFETO, and Senior Leader, Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Association, addressing the crisis after the Supreme Court’s TET judgment.
The recent Supreme Court ruling on the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) on September 1st has brought close to a quarter of a million teachers into a state of shock and confusion. Although we welcome the preliminary assurance from School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, promising legal action with the publication of the entire judgment, the Tamil Nadu government is now needed to adopt a more forceful and active response.
The complete 110-page judgment has been put up now, and it has emerged that a review petition, though a possibility, is not the most straightforward way of safeguarding our teachers. Most states, including Maharashtra and Kerala, have already indicated they would file review petitions, but other states have been more categorical in their approach.
These are the points that we need to consider:
1. The Precedent of Other States
- Andhra Pradesh: The government has already exempted teachers who joined duty on or before November 15, 2011, from the condition of TET.
- Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh: These three states have chosen not to implement the TET requirement for their in-service teachers, setting a very clear example of state-level discretion in this regard.
2. A Historical and Legal Perspective:
- From Guru Kula system to pre-TET days (prior to August 23, 2010, NCTE notification), teachers were employed on a different criterion of eligibility. The same teachers who educated the very leaders who now dictate the course of our country, including presidents, prime ministers, and judges, are being questioned for their ability today. To dispute their ability now is to go against history.
- The Supreme Court judgment is a judicial decision, but it is also fallible. The courts’ decisions in the past have been based on conditions prevalent at the time. Even at the time of appointment of these teachers, the NCTE did not publish its official advertisement. The legal interpretation today is based on a concept note and not on a well-established, actual rule.
3. The Insufficiency of a Review Petition:
- A review petition is a long-drawn legal procedure that comes with no instant relief.
- The Tamil Nadu government can make a policy decision that will directly benefit its teachers.
- Our Demand: We appeal to the Tamil Nadu state government, under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, to emulate Andhra Pradesh and other states. Through a resolution in the Legislative Assembly, the state can proclaim that TET shall not be required for teachers appointed prior to November 15, 2011. This single step will inspire hope and security in more than 2.25 lakh teachers.
4. The Way Ahead
- All teachers in Tamil Nadu are seriously concerned about their career and livelihood. But let us not act out of fear. Rather, we will carry on our struggle for justice with a sense of mission and solidarity.
- Teachers’ associations like the JACTO movement stand by defending the dignity and rights of our teachers with all that we have.
The Tamil Nadu administration cannot dodge this challenge. Now is the time for firm leadership which prioritises the well-being of our diligent teachers.
Contact AIFETO Mr. Annamalai @ 94442 12060 / 9962222314. annamalaiaifeto@gmail.com
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