New Delhi, August 14: A delegation from the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) met with Union Education Minister Prakash Javadekar in New Delhi on Thursday. They urged the central government to exempt senior in-service teachers from the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) and to take necessary steps, including amending the Right to Education Act.
The delegation included MPs Gola Baburao, PV Mithun Reddy, YS Avinash Reddy, Maddila Gurumurthy, teacher MLC MV Ramachandra Reddy, Parvata Reddy, Chandrashekar Reddy, and Kalpalata Reddy. They requested a review of the Supreme Court’s decision that made TET qualification mandatory. They argued that teachers who joined the service before 2011 and have served for 20 to 30 years should not be compelled to pass the TET at the age of 50 or older.
After the meeting, YSRCP leaders spoke to the media, stating that this issue affects nearly one lakh teachers in Andhra Pradesh and millions nationwide. They questioned why the state government had not filed a review petition in the Supreme Court and why the NDA government had not amended Section 23 of the Right to Education Act.
They asserted that requiring senior teachers to take online exams for all subjects is unreasonable and violates their fundamental rights. If exams are necessary, they should be conducted offline and only for the subjects the teachers teach.
The leaders noted that teachers have until August 31, 2028, to obtain the required qualifications, but they are being unnecessarily troubled regarding their jobs and promotions. They demanded that the state assembly pass a resolution for exemption. The YSRCP stated that they would raise this issue in Parliament and, if necessary, introduce a private member’s bill, continuing their legal and legislative fight for in-service teachers.
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