Chandigarh, Feb 26: To protect the job security of veteran educators, the Punjab government is preparing a legal challenge against a Supreme Court directive requiring all active government teachers to pass the Teacher Eligibility Test. The state’s intervention follows growing concerns that the mandate places an unreasonable strain on experienced personnel who entered the service before the test was established as a requirement.
Education Minister Harjot Bains declared that the state government is committed to supporting those impacted by the ruling. He stated that the administration would approach the Supreme Court to request a reconsideration of the order. The Minister maintained that the goal is to ensure that long-serving teachers are not unfairly penalized by retroactive qualification standards.
The judicial order impacts nearly 40 percent of the state’s teaching workforce. Under the current timeline, staff must successfully complete the assessment by late August 2027 or face the loss of their positions. The directive also halts the career progression of any teacher who fails to meet the requirement, though it does offer a reprieve for those nearing the age of retirement.
Representatives from various teachers’ unions have initiated protests, urging the government to take definitive action. Vikram Dev, president of the Democratic Teachers Front, declared that imposing a compulsory test years after successful recruitment through examinations and interviews is an unjust practice. He asserted that the state government should consider bringing legislation to the Vidhan Sabha to address the issue.
Departmental officials noted that the practical difficulties of the mandate are significant, as teachers are often occupied with administrative duties and election-related tasks. They stated that the academic workload makes it difficult for seasoned professionals to prepare for a comprehensive exam covering multiple disciplines. A high-level meeting between union leaders and the Education Minister is scheduled for February 27 to discuss further steps.
