HC permits 200 petitioners to sit for TET examination

Kolkata: The Calcutta high court on Friday permitted around 200 petitioners who could not apply for Teacher's Eligibility Test (TET) due to the changes in the eligibility criteria set by the state Primary Board to sit for the examination.

Justice Arijit Banerjee in an interim order directed the state Education department to assist the petitioners in filing their applications online.

The last date for applying for TET as per the notification of West Bengal Board of Primary Education is October 29.

Justice Banerjee, however, said that the interim order will be subject to a final order in the matter. He said the petitioners may lose precious time if they are not allowed to appear for the examination.

Justice Banerjee maintained that the results of the petitioners will not be published without the

court's nod.

The court asked the state government to file an affidavit stating their stand within three weeks and also asked the petitioners to file their reply within a week after that. An appropriate Bench of the court will hear the matter after four weeks.

On October 9, the state government issued a notification effecting changes in the eligibility criteria, which included that the applicants have a specified period of training.

Following the notification, around 200 candidates moved the court claiming the criteria was contrary to the guidelines set up by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).

Among the petitioners were some candidates who have completed or enrolled for courses in 'special education' from Rehabilitation Council of India-recognised institutes and others who have enrolled for courses in Diploma in Elementary Education (DLEd).

State Advocate General Kishore Dutta said that the DLEd candidates have not yet sat for any examination in their academic year and questioned how they should appear for the TET. He argued that the petitioners do not satisfy criteria laid down by the NCTE.