Teachers protest demanding cancellation of recruitment exam order

Members of the 2013 TET (Teacher Eligibility Test) Qualified Teachers’ Welfare Association staged a protest near the Tiruchi Collectorate on Friday, demanding the cancellation of Government Order (G.O.) 149, which mandates an additional examination for teachers

Members of the 2013 TET (Teacher Eligibility Test) Qualified Teachers’ Welfare Association staged a protest near the Tiruchi Collectorate on Friday, demanding the cancellation of Government Order (G.O.) 149, which mandates an additional examination for teachers.

The protest was led by assiciation’s State president M. Ilangovan. Association vice-president S. Prabhakaran, secretary S. Shanmugapriya, treasurer Harihar Sudhan, and over 200 teachers participated in the protest.

Mr. Ilangovan told presspersons that for over 12 years, teachers who cleared the 2013 TET, had been struggling without employment and were forced to take up temporary, unregulated jobs. Despite organising several protests, including hunger strikes and demonstrations, they did not receive any solution. He pointed out that Tamil Nadu was the only State in India where TET-qualified teachers were required to take an additional recruitment exam. He termed the move illogical and unjust.

Citing past statements by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, he recalled that while serving as the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Stalin had criticised G.O. 149 as an unnecessary and flawed order that could pave the way for corruption. Furthermore, he said the DMK had promised to provide employment to 2013 TET-qualified teachers in its manifesto. However, after coming to power, the government had claimed that the recruitment exam was a “policy decision” rather than a manifesto promise, contradicting its earlier stance, he alleged.