The state primary board intends to recruit TET (Teachers’ Eligibility Test) qualified candidates as teachers in government-aided primary schools by the end of this year, said the chairman of the ad-hoc committee tasked with running the board.
Gautam Paul added that qualifying TET does not mean that a job aspirant will be appointed straightaway. They would have to face an interview before the appointment.
“I am appealing to the candidates who have qualified in the TET 2014 and TET 2017 examinations to take part in the interview process for which registration will start from October 21,” Paul said at a news conference.
“I have made this clear in this year’s TET notification (issued before Puja vacation), qualifying TET does not mean one has earned the right to appointment. TET is an examination that determines the eligibility of a teaching job aspirant. The board does not have any obligation to recruit someone just because he or she has cracked TET 2014 or TET 2017 exams,” Paul said.
A section of candidates, who had cracked the TET 2014 but could not make it to the merit list as they did not fare well the interview, have resorted to protest and demanded that they be recruited, said an official of the school education department.
Many of them are of the view that since the recruitment test and the interview held during the tenure of the previous board chairman Manik Bhattacharya is mired in allegations of irregularities they be recruited.
On June 21, the state primary education board asked the district primary school councils to submit records pertaining to the candidates who were recruited as teachers “as TET-2014 qualified candidates” so they can be submitted to the CBI.
“I have sympathy for those who have resorted to protest. They have every right to protest. But I will appeal to them to take part in the recruitment process (the interview)....Paul said.
The primary board uploaded on September 29 a notice stating the board would hold the interview for those who had written TET in 2015 and 2021 but had not yet been recruited, for appointment to over 11,000 posts.
The notice also says: “The candidates shall possess minimum educational and training as prescribed by the NCTE…. and TET qualified candidates who are undergoing D.EL. ED/D.ED (special education) B.Ed training session….. and passed in the TET conducted by the board in accordance with the guidelines...” can take part in the interview.