Teachers with decades of experience oppose mandatory TET for promotions
Ferozepur, February 16: Veteran Punjab teachers are fiercely protesting the state government's February 7, 2026, order mandating TET (Teacher Eligibility Test) for master cadre promotions, questioning why educators with decades of dedicated service must now prove competence via a test introduced in 2011 under the Right to Education Act.
This move could derail promotions for hundreds of teachers, especially due to technical reasons preventing some from taking the test. Fifteen teacher unions across districts, including Ferozepur, have announced joint action, emphasising it's against injustice to teachers, not any individual.
Organisations argue it's illogical and unjust to impose TET retrospectively on pre-2011 recruits who joined under prevailing rules and were previously exempted by a 2017 government letter, now revoked—calling it a betrayal that crushes morale and stalls hundreds of long-awaited promotions due to technical hurdles.
The policy stems from Supreme Court directives last September, yet teachers decry it as retrospective punishment, noting multiple TET chances were given (e.g., Nov 2025, Dec 2025, Jan 2026) but idescribe it as retrospective punishment, noting multiple TET chances were given (e.g., Nov 2025, Dec 2025, Jan 2026) and insist thatnsisting experience trumps a standardised exam for seasoned professionals.
On February 22, a major rally was planned in the Education Minister's constituency in Sri Anandpur Sahib's Gambhirpur village, with large participation expected from Ferozepur. Unions vow to continue their constitutional struggle and urge the government to swiftly address their legitimate demands.