Decoding the West Bengal Teacher Eligibility Test, an exam caught in legal battles

The Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) – among the most sought-after national eligibility tests for aspiring school teachers in the country – has had a rough run in West Bengal ever since its 2014 edition in the state got embroiled in legal hurdles.

The test was last conducted on January 31, after a gap of more than 5 years. Nearly 2.5 lakh candidates appeared for the exam.

Edugraph decodes TET and its journey so far.

What is TET? Who conducts it?

TET is the minimum qualification required for appointment as teachers in the primary (Classes I-V) and upper-primary (Classes VI-VIII) sections of government schools.

Selected candidates receive a TET certificate, which is valid for a lifetime.

When was TET first conducted?

The Indian government introduced TET in 2011 as a measure to improve teaching standards in schools across the country. Both the Central and state governments conduct the test individually.

The West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE) is in charge of conducting the state-level TET. The first TET in West Bengal was held in 2012.

What is the exam pattern?

TET candidates have to answer questions on child development and pedagogy. They are also tested in first language, second language/English, Mathematics and Environmental Studies — 30% weightage is given to each section.

The duration of the exam is 150 minutes, which was increased from 90 minutes earlier.

What are the eligibility criteria to appear for TET?

The West Bengal Board of Primary Education follows the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) framework to conduct the test, but the eligibility criteria change every year.

The criteria for appearing for TET must be the same as that for recruitment in a primary teacher’s post.

In 2012, candidates with B Ed degrees were eligible to qualify as primary school teachers before writing the test. The eligibility criteria changed in 2014, allowing all graduates to appear. Candidates scoring 60% or above qualify the exam. There is a 5% relaxation given to reserved category candidates.

According to the NCTE, minimum qualifications required to appear for TET are:

· Candidates with at least 50% marks in higher or senior secondary exam with a D.El.Ed degree

· Candidates with at least 50% marks with B.El.Ed degree

· Candidates with both graduation and D.El.Ed degrees

TET 2014 and how the legal battle unfolded

The registration window for TET 2014 closed on June 23, 2015. The exam was conducted on October 11, 2015, with over 23 lakh candidates. The results came out on September 14, 2016 – nearly 1.2 lakh candidates had qualified. A recruitment notification was issued on September 24, 2016, inviting applications to fill 42,949 primary teacher posts. The recruitment process for all candidates was completed by February 2017. A merit list of 26,000 candidates was released on October 1, 2019.

Several TET 2014 candidates moved the Calcutta High Court in 2019, alleging a discrepancy in the recruitment process. The court cancelled the entire selection process after hearing the matter.

The problem started in 2014, when a mistake was discovered in the TET question paper – it contained a total of six wrong questions. It was a blunder on the part of the board and, even though it was pointed out by the HC, it was not corrected. Judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the Calcutta High Court directed WBBPE to pay each of the 19 petitioners Rs 20,000.

Finally, the list of applicants who qualified for the WB Primary TET 2014 was released by WBBPE on December 20 in accordance with the Calcutta High Court’s decision on the TET 2014 case. These candidates were then asked to go through scrutiny, document verification, viva voce and aptitude test at the Kolkata Primary School Council between December 22 and December 28.