New Delhi, February 12
From now on, anyone wishing to be a teacher in any school across the country has to clear a Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) with 60 per cent as the qualifying marks.

In a significant development to make school teaching standards uniform and better across India, the government yesterday notified the guidelines for the state governments to conduct the TET, modelled along the lines of the National Eligibility Test for college and university teachers.

The validity of the TET certificate (which would now be a must for teacher recruitment) would be seven years. Simply put, anyone who clears the TET but does not manage a teacher’s job for seven years must reappear for the test in the eighth year again. However, serving teachers need not clear the test. It is meant only for new recruits.

The one-hour test would comprise multiple choice questions (MCQs), each bearing one mark and there will be no negative marking. The TET will have an option of two papers -- paper I for those wishing to teach primary classes (I to V); and paper II for those wishing to teach classes VI to VIII. Those who want to teach classes across the primary and elementary levels must clear both papers I and II.

In both papers, there will be tests for two languages. While the first language can be the official language of the state, the second would have to be chosen from a list provided by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).

Anyone with a Diploma in Education or a BEd or anyone pursuing teacher education course recognised by the NCTE of the Rehabilitation Council of India would be eligible to sit for TET.