FORTO requests an exemption from TET for legally appointed teachers

The Forum of Registered Teachers’ Organizations (FORTO) urged the central and state governments to exempt teachers from the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) if they were legally appointed as per National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) qualifications and state recruitment rules in force at the time of their appointment.

The demand was made at a round table conference held in Vijayawada on Sunday under the chairmanship of FORTO labor president D. Srinu, with labor general secretary Maganti Srinivasa Rao coordinating the meeting.

Forum leaders cited the NCTE clarification dated 28 August 2017 which stated that NCTE did not prescribe minimum qualifications before 3 September 2001 and that the appointment of teachers during that period was governed by state recruitment rules. They argued that applying the TET norms introduced after the Right to Education (RTE) Act to teachers who have already been legally appointed would be unfair and retrospective in nature.

Executives noted that many teachers have served for decades and have continuously improved their professional skills through in-service training programmes, DIKSHA courses, cluster-level training and other professional development initiatives, thereby proving their teaching abilities.

FORTO appealed to governments to take appropriate legal and policy measures to protect the service rights of these teachers. Several leaders of FORTO affiliates attended the meeting and supported the demand.

Published – 14 Jun 2026 23:22 IST