Agartala, September 04, 2024: The Government of Tripura has announced that the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) will be conducted in 2024 after a brief halt due to a Supreme Court verdict regarding recruitment rules and the administration of the examination. The decision was conveyed to the Tripura Legislative Assembly on Wednesday by former Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath, who spoke on behalf of the incumbent Minister in-charge of Education department during the ongoing monsoon session of Legislative Assembly.

“In accordance with the verdict of the Supreme Court of India and a subsequent letter from the National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) dated November 11, 2023, it has been clarified that candidates who have completed their Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) are now eligible to appear for the TET Paper-I examination. The Education Department has already initiated the process to amend the Recruitment Rules for Under Graduate Teachers (UGT). Once these amendments are finalized, the recruitment process will commence,” Nath informed the Assembly.

Nath’s announcement came in response to a query raised by Congress MLA Gopal Chandra Roy regarding the status of TET-qualified candidates. “In 2022, a total of 366 candidates cleared the TET, with 197 qualifying in Paper-I and 169 in Paper-II. However, only 80 candidates from TET Paper-I are eligible for job offers as they possess the D.El.Ed qualification, as mandated by the Supreme Court’s verdict,” Nath stated.

Elaborating on the delay in conducting the TET, Nath explained, “The last TET examination was held on December 29, 2022, for Paper-II, and December 30, 2022, for Paper-I. The Teachers’ Recruitment Board, Tripura (TRBT), which conducts the TET annually, had to pause the process following the Supreme Court’s ruling. The ruling specified that Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) graduates are no longer eligible to apply for UGT positions through TET Paper-I, a significant change from the previous eligibility criteria.”

The resumption of TET in 2024 is expected to provide clarity and opportunities for aspiring teachers in Tripura, following the necessary amendments to the recruitment rules. The Education Department’s swift action in this regard has been welcomed by many, as it ensures that the examination process aligns with the Supreme Court’s directives and NCTE guidelines.