SHILLONG, OCT 27: The state government will soon file a review petition in the Supreme Court against its judgment passed on September 1, 2025, which made the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) mandatory for all in-service teachers.
“The judgment has a retrospective effect, and we want the Supreme Court to exempt teachers appointed pre-RTE Act,” Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui told reporters on Monday.
He clarified that the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has set the standards for teachers after the RTE Act, and the government has been recruiting teachers as per these norms.
Around 32,000 plus teachers will be affected by the judgment, which means they have to clear the TET within two years.
Rymbui expressed concerns that not all of these teachers may be able to clear the TET within the given timeframe.
However, teachers who have already cleared the Meghalaya Teacher Eligibility Test (MTET) or the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) are exempt from appearing in any other TET exams and their services are secured.
Asked on the state education commission’s recommendation to phase out underqualified teachers, Rymbui said it is a matter of interpretation, but the government has been recruiting qualified teachers as per NCTE norms. He emphasized that if the Supreme Court modifies its order, it would be a different scenario altogether, and once the teachers meet all the criteria, they are considered qualified.
By Our Reporter
