Supreme Court Reinstates Teachers in TET Qualification Verdict

The Supreme Court has overturned the termination of two assistant teachers in Uttar Pradesh, reinstating them after they were initially dismissed in 2018 for not having cleared the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) at the time of their appointment. Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran presided over the decision, which came as a result of an appeal by Uma Kant and another teacher against Allahabad High Court's previous rulings.

The Supreme Court highlighted that the teachers, who qualified under the statutory grace period, had passed the TET by March 2014, well before the required deadline of March 31, 2019. The court criticized the non-intervention by the high court's single judge and division bench, prompting it to direct the UP government to reinstate the teachers immediately.

Represented by senior advocate Amit Anand Tiwari, the teachers were earlier employed at Jwala Prasad Tiwari Junior High School, Kanpur Nagar, following their selection in 2011. The ruling also noted the 2017 amendment to the RTE Act which allowed teachers appointed before March 31, 2015, a window to obtain their qualifications by 2019. The court's decision underscores the importance of adhering to statutory guidelines and timelines in employment matters.