The Bombay High Court has ruled that teachers who cleared the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) between March 31, 2019, and September 1, 2025, will be eligible to continue their service and receive promotions. The order comes as a major relief for thousands of teachers whose appointments and promotions were earlier questioned due to missing the 2019 deadline.
Key Highlights of the Ruling
- Teachers qualifying TET between March 31, 2019, and September 1, 2025 can continue in service.
- They are also eligible for promotions and transfers to aided posts.
- CTET qualification will be considered equivalent to TET.
- Teachers yet to clear TET have been given two years to qualify.
- Previous transfer rejections due to missed deadlines will now be reconsidered.
Background of the Case
The ruling came during the hearing of petitions filed by Sagar Dattatray Chorghe and Sangeeta Ramchandra Salunke, both appointed in 2013. Although they were appointed after TET became mandatory in 2013, they had not cleared the exam within the set deadline. Both later passed the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) in 2021 but were denied transfers to aided posts by state authorities. The High Court reviewed their petitions and concluded that the earlier restrictions were unfair, particularly since the Supreme Court had already mandated TET as compulsory but clarified that late qualification should not result in job loss or stalled promotions.
Court’s Observations
The Bombay High Court emphasized the following points in its ruling:
- TET is mandatory for teachers appointed after 2013, as per Supreme Court directions.
- Teachers who qualified later should not face dismissal or be denied promotions.
- Transfers and service benefits cannot be withheld once teachers hold a valid TET or CTET certificate.
- Earlier rejections of transfer requests based on the missed March 2019 deadline are to be overturned.
Implications of the Judgment
This decision directly impacts teachers appointed after 2013 who managed to clear TET or CTET between 2019 and 2025. It also provides clarity on pending transfer requests and eligibility for promotions. The ruling is expected to benefit:
- Teachers seeking promotions in aided schools.
- Candidates whose transfer requests were denied earlier.
- Teachers are still preparing for TET, as they now have two more years to qualify.
TET and CTET Equivalence
The court has also clarified that the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) will be treated as equivalent to TET. This means teachers who cleared CTET can claim eligibility for promotions, transfers, and service benefits within state institutions.
Service Benefits and Next Steps
The bench directed state authorities to:
- Approve pending transfers of eligible teachers.
- Grant service-related benefits, including Shalarth-ID cards, to qualified teachers.
- Ensure no further denial of promotions based on missed deadlines, provided teachers have now qualified.
