The Ministry of Education on August 03, 2026, mandates TET Qualification for Teachers – Supreme Court Rulings.
Education falls under the Concurrent List of the Constitution, which means the recruitment, service conditions, and deployment of teachers, are administered by the respective State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. Consequently, data on teachers appointed before 2013 who may be affected by the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) requirement is maintained at the state/UT level rather than centrally.
The Supreme Court of India, in its judgment dated September 1, 2025, held that the TET constitutes one of the minimum qualifications prescribed under Section 23 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, making it mandatory for appointment as a teacher in schools covered under the Act.
Subsequently, while disposing of review petitions in the matter, the Court in its judgment dated May 29, 2026 extended the deadline for teachers to acquire the TET qualification from August 31, 2027 to August 31, 2028, giving affected teachers additional time to comply.
In the same May 2026 judgment, the Court also directed the appropriate Governments/authorities to conduct the TET periodically — preferably twice a year at intervals of approximately six months — to ensure eligible teachers have a reasonable opportunity to meet this qualification requirement.
[Release ID: 2293990]
