Guidelines For conducting Teacher Eligibility Test (TET)

Background and Rationale

The implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 requires the recruitment of a large number of teachers across the country in a time bound manner. Inspite of the enormity of the task, it is desirable to ensure that quality requirement for recruitment of teachers are not diluted at any cost. It is therefore necessary to ensure that persons recruited as teachers possess the essential aptitude and ability to meet the challenges of teaching at the primary and upper primary level.

2 In accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 23 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has laid down the minimum qualifications for a person to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in class I to VIII, vide its Notification dated August 23, 2010. A copy of the Notification is attached at Annexure 1. One of the essential qualifications for a person to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in any of the schools referred to in clause (n) of section 2 of the RTE Act is that he/she

should pass the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) which will be conducted by the

appropriate Government.

3 The rationale for including the TET as a minimum qualification for a person to be eligible for appointment as a teacher is as under:

i. It would bring national standards and benchmark of teacher quality in the recruitment process;

ii. It would induce teacher education institutions and students from these institutions to further improve their performance standards;

iii. It would send a positive signal to all stakeholders that the Government lays special emphasis on teacher quality

4 The TET examination may be conducted by a suitable professional body designated by the appropriate Government for the purpose. It will be conducted in accordance with the Guidelines hereunder.

Eligibility

5 The following persons shall be eligible for appearing in the TET:

i. A person who has acquired the academic and professional qualifications

specified in the NCTE Notification dated 23rd August 2010.

ii. A person who is pursuing any of the teacher education courses (recognized

by the NCTE or the RCI, as the case may be) specified in the NCTE

Notification dated 23rd August 2010.

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iii. The eligibility condition for appearing in TET may be relaxed in respect of a State/UT which has been granted relaxation under sub-section (2) of section

23 of the RTE Act. The relaxation will be specified in the Notification issued

by the Central Government under that sub-section. Structure and Content of TET

6 The structure and content of the TET is given in the following paragraphs. All questions will be Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), each carrying one mark, with four alternatives out of which one answer will be correct. There will be no negative marking. The examining body should strictly adhere to the structure and content of the TET specified below.

7 There will be two papers of the TET. Paper I will be for a person who intends

to be a teacher for classes I to V. Paper II will be for a person who intends to be a teacher for classes VI to VIII. A person who intends to be a teacher either for classes I to V or for classes VI to VIII will have to appear in both papers (Paper I and Paper II).

Background and RationaleThe implementation of the Right of Children to Free and CompulsoryEducation (RTE) Act, 2009 requires the recruitment of a large number of teachersacross the country in a time bound manner. Inspite of the enormity of the task, it isdesirable to ensure that quality requirement for recruitment of teachers are not dilutedat any cost. It is therefore necessary to ensure that persons recruited as teacherspossess the essential aptitude and ability to meet the challenges of teaching at theprimary and upper primary level.2 In accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 23 of the Rightof Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, the National Councilfor Teacher Education (NCTE) has laid down the minimum qualifications for a personto be eligible for appointment as a teacher in class I to VIII, vide its Notification datedAugust 23, 2010. A copy of the Notification is attached at Annexure 1. One of theessential qualifications for a person to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in anyof the schools referred to in clause (n) of section 2 of the RTE Act is that he/sheshould pass the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) which will be conducted by theappropriate Government.3 The rationale for including the TET as a minimum qualification for a person tobe eligible for appointment as a teacher is as under:i. It would bring national standards and benchmark of teacher quality in therecruitment process;ii. It would induce teacher education institutions and students from theseinstitutions to further improve their performance standards;iii. It would send a positive signal to all stakeholders that the Government laysspecial emphasis on teacher quality4 The TET examination may be conducted by a suitable professional bodydesignated by the appropriate Government for the purpose. It will be conducted inaccordance with the Guidelines hereunder.Eligibility5 The following persons shall be eligible for appearing in the TET:i. A person who has acquired the academic and professional qualificationsspecified in the NCTE Notification dated 23rd August 2010.ii. A person who is pursuing any of the teacher education courses (recognizedby the NCTE or the RCI, as the case may be) specified in the NCTENotification dated 23rd August 2010.3iii. The eligibility condition for appearing in TET may be relaxed in respect of aState/UT which has been granted relaxation under sub-section (2) of section23 of the RTE Act. The relaxation will be specified in the Notification issuedby the Central Government under that sub-section.Structure and Content of TET6 The structure and content of the TET is given in the following paragraphs. Allquestions will be Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), each carrying one mark, withfour alternatives out of which one answer will be correct. There will be no negativemarking. The examining body should strictly adhere to the structure and content ofthe TET specified below.7 There will be two papers of the TET. Paper I will be for a person who intendsto be a teacher for classes I to V. Paper II will be for a person who intends to be ateacher for classes VI to VIII. A person who intends to be a teacher either for classesI to V or for classes VI to VIII will have to appear in both papers (Paper I and PaperII).