Over 28,800 candidates from the revenue district appeared for Tamil Nadu Teacher Eligibility Test (TNTET) at 76 centres spread over the three educational districts of Tiruchi, Lalgudi, and Musiri.
The exam was conducted for aspiring primary-level teachers in the morning and for upper primary-level teachers in the afternoon session. Of the 30,929 registered candidates, there were over 2,000 absentees.
Accompanied by Chief Educational Officer K.Selvakumar, Director of Teachers’ Recruitment Board Sankar inspected a few centres. Implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act has necessitated conduct of TNTET. Since a large number of teachers must be appointed in a time-bound manner, the exam was deemed necessary by the Centre 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 levels.
According to the MHRD, the teacher eligibility test was made a minimum qualification for appointment as teacher for bringing national standards and benchmarking quality of teachers in the recruitment process; inducing teacher education institutions and students from these institutions to further improve their performance standards; and sending a positive signal to all stakeholders that the government lays special emphasis on teacher quality.
While the respective State governments were empowered to conduct teacher eligibility tests by themselves, the MHRD entrusted the Central Board of Secondary Education with the responsibility of conducting Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET).
In Tamil Nadu, secondary grade or graduate teachers (BT assistants) appointed with the prescribed qualifications (undergraduate degree from a recognised university under 10+2+3 pattern and B.Ed.) in government, government-aided and unaided schools on or after August 23, 2010, are required to appear for the test. As per the guidelines of National Council for Teacher Education, teachers working in unaided schools must also secure a pass in the teacher eligibility test within five years.
The candidates are required to answer 150 multiple-choice questions in one and a half hours, and secure a minimum of 60 per cent for a pass. TET eligibility certificates issued by the Teachers’ Recruitment Board would be valid for seven years.
Teachers Eligibility Test is only a pre-requisite eligibility test for those seeking appointment as teacher. For appointment of teacher, the TRB will follow separate selection procedure.
