Bhiwandi News: Teachers’ Union Seeks Amendments To RTE Act, Warns Of School Closures And Job Threats Over TET Norms

Bhiwandi, Dec 08: Expressing serious concern over the future of teachers who have been in service for nearly 14 years, the Maharashtra Rajya Shikshan Kranti Sanghatana has formally demanded amendments to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act.

Under the leadership of the organisation’s State President and Principal Sudhir Ghagas, the teachers’ body submitted a memorandum to Rajesh Kankal, Deputy Director of Education, Mumbai Division, seeking his recommendation on the matter to Ranjit Singh Deol, Principal Secretary, School Education and Sports Department, Government of Maharashtra.

Memorandum Cites RTE Background and TET Clause

In the memorandum, Sudhir Ghagas stated that the RTE Act, 2009, was passed by Parliament in 2010 and implemented nationwide in a phased manner beginning July 2011. Subsequently, state governments issued Government Resolutions (GRs) from time to time to enforce specific provisions of the Act.

In Maharashtra, the Government Resolution dated February 13, 2013, which introduced the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), was part of this process. Since then, only TET-qualified candidates have been appointed for teaching posts in Classes I to VIII.

Supreme Court’s 2025 Order Raises Concern

Highlighting a Supreme Court judgment dated September 1, 2025, Ghagas noted that the apex court has made TET qualification mandatory for primary teachers and clarified that promotions will not be granted without fulfilling TET eligibility.

While the ruling was delivered in the context of the RTE Act, the Sanghatana has asserted that applying this requirement retrospectively to teachers appointed prior to February 13, 2013, violates the principles of natural justice.

Demand Against Retrospective TET Application

The organisation has urged the state government to clearly place before the Supreme Court its position that primary teachers appointed before the 2013 GR cannot be subjected to mandatory TET eligibility retrospectively.

“Once the RTE Act, 2009, is accepted, any provision implemented later by the state government should apply only from the date of its enforcement,” the memorandum stated.

It further demanded that a maximum time limit be fixed for the complete implementation of RTE provisions and that such a clarification be incorporated through suitable amendments.

Staff Approval Norms May Lead to School Closures

The Sanghatana has also expressed grave concern over the implications of staff approval norms. Referring to a Bombay High Court decision, which upheld the staff approval criteria dated March 15, 2024, as valid under RTE provisions, Ghagas warned that several schools across Maharashtra may show “zero teacher strength” under the revised norms, inevitably leading to their closure.

Schools Serving Marginalised Students at Risk

“These schools were established by social reformers who donated their own land and invested personal resources to educate children from poor and marginalised communities,” the memorandum stated.

In urban areas, the schools facing closure primarily cater to children of daily-wage workers living in extreme poverty, while in rural regions the affected students belong to families of marginal farmers and small traders.

Organisation Says Higher Class Staffing Lies With State Policy

Emphasising that the RTE Act, 2009, is applicable only to Classes I to VIII, the organisation pointed out that determining teacher strength for Classes IX to XII falls entirely under the policy jurisdiction of the state government.

“The RTE Act aims to bring children into the mainstream of education. However, the new staff approval policy threatens to push children who are already in the mainstream out of the education system,” it warned.

Warns of Public Agitation if Policies Not Corrected

The teachers’ body cautioned that if students and parents begin to fully realise the consequences of these policies, widespread public resentment against the government could emerge, potentially forcing students and parents to take to the streets in protest.

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Urgent Action Sought to Protect Teachers and Students

The Sanghatana has urged the state government to initiate immediate corrective measures to safeguard the careers of experienced teachers and ensure uninterrupted education for lakhs of underprivileged students across Maharashtra.

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