Prayagraj: Uttar Pradesh Shiksha Mitras will not be allowed to appear for the Special Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) 2026 after the Allahabad High Court dismissed their plea seeking inclusion in the examination. The ruling came on Thursday (October 1) after the court had reserved its order on September 24.
The Special TET was introduced in Uttar Pradesh after the top court made TET a mandatory requirement for teachers. It also held that the legal position of Shiksha Mitras is different from that of teachers who are appointed to teaching posts. The petitioners also argued that the Basic Education Department had provided them two-year BTC training. They sought an opportunity to take the TET after the Supreme Court made the examination mandatory for teachers. However, the court did not accept their plea for inclusion in the Special TET. The apex court has also set a deadline for serving teachers to meet the TET requirement. The High Court order leaves the Shiksha Mitras outside the special examination created for the categories covered by the government’s notification. Their eligibility for the regular TET is a separate issue. The court’s ruling specifically dealt with their claim to appear in the Special TET.
Because they are eligible to take the general TET, the court held that the petitioners cannot claim a right to appear in the special examination merely. During the September 24 hearing, they argued that many Shiksha Mitras had been teaching in basic education schools for years. They told the court that many had around 26 years of experience and had also performed duties related to elections, census work, counting, school operations, examinations and departmental training. Its September 1, 2025 judgment said teachers who fall within the applicable rules must meet the TET requirement, including serving teachers appointed earlier in many cases. Serving teachers affected by the requirement have to clear TET by August 31, 2028, according to the Special TET notification.
The court said the Constitution does not require the state to remove a distinction when it is based on a valid legal purpose.
