JAMMU, Jun 11: The Jammu and Kashmir Teachers Forum (JKTF) convened a meeting on Thursday to review the encouraging response being received for its Union Territory-wide online signature campaign seeking exemption from the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) requirement for in-service teachers and protection of their existing service rights.
Addressing the meeting, JKTF UT President Mohd. Ashraf Sheikh said that thousands of teachers currently serving in the School Education Department were appointed under the recruitment rules, eligibility criteria and service conditions that were legally applicable at the time of their appointment. He stated that these teachers have served the department with dedication for many years and have made significant contributions to strengthening the education system in Jammu and Kashmir.
Highlighting the issue, Sheikh said that the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, and National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) regulations relating to TET became applicable to Jammu and Kashmir only after the implementation of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act on October 31, 2019. He argued that imposing the TET requirement retrospectively on teachers appointed before that date would be unfair and could adversely affect their service security, promotions, seniority and career progression.
He informed that JKTF has launched an online signature campaign addressed to the Prime Minister of India, seeking complete exemption from the mandatory TET requirement for all in-service teachers and protection of their legitimate service rights. The campaign also seeks assurance that no adverse action is taken against serving teachers for not possessing TET qualifications where the same were not prescribed at the time of their appointment.
Sheikh further appealed to the Union Ministry of Education to initiate necessary legislative amendments to provide relief to serving teachers appointed under the recruitment rules prevailing at the time of their induction into service.
Expressing satisfaction over the increasing participation in the campaign, he said teachers from various districts of Jammu and Kashmir have extended strong support to the initiative. He described the campaign as a democratic effort aimed at securing justice for teachers who entered service through lawful recruitment processes.
The Forum urged teachers, lecturers, employees, retired educationists and well-wishers across the Union Territory to actively participate in the campaign and strengthen the collective voice of the teaching fraternity.
The meeting was attended by UT Senior Vice President Rafaqat Hussain Malik, UT Senior Vice Chairman Mohd. Mahroof, UT Senior Leader Sandeep Bhat, UT Vice President Sanjeet Sharma, UT Vice President Mehmood-ul-Riyaz Bhat, Provincial President Jammu Gulshan Sharma, UT Additional General Secretary Aakash Kashyap, UT Chief Spokesperson Joginder Singh Thakur, Provincial President (Female Wing) Nazia Farooq Ganai, UT Chief Press & Publicity Secretary Jalil Ahmed, UT Convenor Lokesh Sharma, UT Chief Coordinator Sahil Bharti, UT Joint Secretary Tariq Amin Naik, UT Chief Advisor Neetan Kalyan, UT Secretary Raman Kumar Sharma, UT Additional Spokesperson Ranjeet Singh, UT Advisor Maroof Zargar, Provincial Senior Vice President Nasir Ahmed Mir, Provincial Vice President Amarjeet Singh, Provincial Vice President Mohd. Riyaz, Provincial Advisor Mohd. Naseem Sarwari, Provincial Coordinator Vinod Sharma, Provincial Secretary Happy Sharma, Provincial Chief Spokesperson Syed Bashir Qadri, District President Udhampur Aakash Bharti, District President Jammu Ali Akbar, District President Samba Firdous Choudhary, District President Kathua Bhupinder Singh, District President Ramban Mohd. Nasir-ul-Haq, District President Kishtwar Imtiyaz-ul-Haq, District President Doda Mohd. Amin, District President Reasi Rail Singh, District President Poonch Shahbaz Khan, District President Rajouri Satnam Singh, District President Anantnag Vinod Kumar Bhat, District President (Female Wing) Kathua Kamlesh Kumari and District President (Female Wing) Reasi Shilpa Kumari, among others.