Requirement Of Having Basic Knowledge In Subjects Taught To Children From Classes I to VIII Not Discriminatory: Telangana HC Dismisses TET Candidates' Petition

The petitioners approached the High Court assailing the validity of clause (iv)(c) of Paper II of Guideline No.7 of the Guidelines for conducting Teacher Eligibility Test on the ground that the same is arbitrary.

The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe & Justice J.Sreenivas Rao said, “It is trite law that it is for the authority to prescribe the syllabi for an examination and the Court, in exercise of powers of judicial review, will interfere only when the syllabi fixed suffers from arbitrariness.”

Advocate Siripuram Keshava appeared for the petitioners while Government Pleader T.Venkat Raju appeared for the Respondent School Education Department.

Facts giving rise to filing of this petition were that the petitioners had obtained the Bachelor Degree in Telugu and Bachelor of Education Degree in Telugu Literature. The recruitment to the post of Teachers of various categories in the State of Telangana is governed by the Telangana Direct Recruitment for the post of Teachers (Scheme of Selection) Rules, 2023. In order to be appointed as a Teacher, a candidate is required to pass the qualifying examination, namely Teacher Eligibility Test (TET).

The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has framed the Guidelines for conducting Teacher Eligibility Test. As per the said guidelines, a candidate seeking appointment as a Teacher to teach classes I to V is required to pass Paper I, whereas a candidate seeking appointment as a Teacher to teach classes VI to VIII is required to pass Paper II. The dispute in this writ petition pertained to Paper II.

It was the case of the petitioners, who are language pandits, that they had been given the option to appear in Mathematics and Science or in Social Studies only. It was further submitted that the provision was arbitrary and discriminatory, as unequals were sought to be treated as equals.

At the outset, the Bench said, “Guidelines for conducting Teacher Eligibility Test, which is a qualifying examination, have been framed by the NCTE to ensure that competent persons are recruited as Teachers and they should possess the essential aptitude and ability to meet the challenges of teaching at the primary and upper primary levels.”

The subjects, namely Child Development and Pedagogy, Language I which is Telugu and Language II which is English as well as Mathematics, Science and Social Studies, are the subjects which are taught to the children at the primary as well as secondary level. “A candidate seeking appointment as a Teacher, therefore, must have the basic knowledge in the aforesaid subjects”, it said.

“In our considered opinion, the requirement of having basic knowledge in the subjects which are taught to children from classes I to VIII cannot be termed either as arbitrary or discriminatory”, the Bench held while dismissing the Writ Petition.

Cause Title:Arakula Yadaiahvs v. Ministry of Education [Case No. Writ Petition No.33576 of 2024]

Appearance:

Petitioners: Advocate Siripuram Keshava

Respondents: Government Pleader T.Venkat Raju, Advocate N.Ananeesh

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