The Maharashtra State Examination Council confirmed that the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) for 2025 had been scheduled for November 23, creating fresh debate within the state’s teaching community. According to the notification issued on September 11, registrations were arranged to commence on September 15 and conclude on October 3. Admit cards were announced to be released from November 12. Both Paper I and Paper II were declared to be conducted on the same day in separate sessions.
It was emphasized in the notification that the TET would remain a compulsory criterion for recruitment to teaching posts in government, aided, and unaided schools across all mediums. The declaration followed a Supreme Court ruling that has continued to cause unease among teachers. The court had ruled that TET must remain mandatory for all new appointments while also making it obligatory for serving teachers without the qualification to clear the exam within two years. Failure to do so, as per the order, would result in compulsory retirement. However, an exemption was confirmed for all teachers who had been appointed before 2013, the year in which TET was introduced.
Uncertainty was expressed within the teaching fraternity regarding how the order would affect those appointed before 2013. Teachers were reported as saying that clarity would need to be provided by the state government to prevent confusion. Concerns were voiced that without a clear policy, large numbers of teachers would be forced to apply for the upcoming examination regardless of their years of service. One teacher was quoted as stating that unless exemptions were extended, the teaching staff across the state would face immense pressure to comply with the requirement.
It was also pointed out by members of the community that the arrangement of a single examination annually would not be sufficient if the Supreme Court ruling were to be enforced strictly. Teachers argued that multiple examinations would have to be conducted every year to allow adequate opportunities for those still lacking the qualification. The matter was therefore seen as requiring urgent clarification from the state government to ensure that both aspiring and serving teachers could plan accordingly.
With the registration window set to open shortly, the debate surrounding eligibility and exemptions remained unresolved. As preparations for the November 23 examination were being finalized, the future of many serving teachers was perceived as dependent on the policy direction that would now have to be taken by the state government.
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