Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued notices to the Centre and the state government on a petition challenging provisions of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, which form the basis of the Supreme Court's direction to conduct the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) twice a year until 2028.
The petition comes amid concerns that despite the Supreme Court's directions, the School Education Department has not yet released the schedule for either of the two TET examinations to be held before Dec 31 this year.
The petition has been filed by the Tribal Welfare Teachers Association (TWTA), challenging the constitutional validity of the first and second provisos of the RTE Act.
A division bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court at Jabalpur has issued notices in the matter.
Why the RTE provisions have been challenged
The petition argues that while the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) notification remained in force, in-service teachers were lawfully exempt from TET, leaving no reason to challenge the relevant provisions.
However, the Supreme Court's recent ruling has created a new legal situation, making it necessary to challenge both provisos.
According to the association, the first proviso requires teachers to acquire the qualifications prescribed by the NCTE within five years, while the second proviso provides a four-year window for teachers already in service who have not yet obtained the required qualifications.
Next hearing on Aug 31
The High Court has fixed the next hearing for Aug 31. The association said it would continue pursuing all legal and democratic measures to safeguard the interests of in-service teachers in the state.
