Hyderabad: STFI urges Centre to file review petition against SC order mandating TET for senior teachers

Hyderabad: School Teachers’ Federation of India (STFI) has called on the central government to file a review petition against the Supreme Court’s September 1 verdict mandating Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for senior teachers.

The federation has also demanded amendments to the Right to Education (RTE) Act to safeguard the jobs of nearly 25 lakh teachers nationwide.

Impact of the Supreme Court Verdict

The Supreme Court’s order in Civil Appeal No. 1385/2025 requires all teachers with more than five years of service left until retirement to pass TET within two years or face compulsory retirement. This ruling affects teachers appointed before August 23, 2010, when the RTE Act came into effect.

According to STFI, many of these teachers have completed 20–25 years of service without being asked to pass TET, as state governments and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) had not made it mandatory for pre-2010 appointees.

Representations Submitted to PMO and Ministry

On Wednesday, an STFI delegation led by President C.N. Bharati, General Secretary Chava Ravi, and Treasurer Abdullah Shafee submitted formal representations at the Prime Minister’s Office in South Block, and to the Education Minister and Education Secretary at Shastri Bhavan.

In its memorandum, STFI requested immediate intervention. The delegation stated:

“We urge the Central Government to file a review petition to reconsider the Supreme Court’s verdict and to amend Section 23 of the Right to Education Act so that TET is mandatory only for teachers appointed after August 23, 2010.”

Appeal to NCTE on Syllabus and Qualifying Marks

Later in the day, the federation also met NCTE Chairman Pankaj Arora and Secretary Abhilash Mishra. They sought revisions to the TET syllabus and a relaxation of the qualifying criteria.

The STFI leadership demanded:

“The qualifying marks for TET should be reduced from 60% to 50% so that senior teachers are not unfairly disadvantaged.”

Plan for Review Petition

Following the meetings, STFI representatives visited the Supreme Court and held consultations with senior advocates. The federation announced that it would move to file a review petition before the end of September.

In a joint statement, C.N. Bharati, Chava Ravi, and T.A.K. Shafee said:

“We have initiated arrangements to file a review petition under STFI’s leadership to protect the interests of teachers whose service and livelihood are now at risk.”

Conclusion

The STFI has emphasized that the onus lies with the Central Government to address the concerns of long-serving teachers and to ensure that the Supreme Court’s ruling does not result in mass displacements. The federation has pledged to continue pressing for amendments to the RTE Act while pursuing legal remedies.