The Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) led- Left Front government in Tripura has announced the new teacher's employment policy, thereby changing the system after 44 years.
The council of ministers set aside the 44-year-old policy, which had the provision of offering any government job based 70 per cent based on merit and seniority and 30 per cent on need, but there was no clear cut method to determine these criteria.
The state government has given green signal to the National Council of Teachers' Education (NCTE) guidelines for recruitment of primary and upper-primary teacher with the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) made mandatory.
"In case of teacher recruitment, what we should have done much earlier, this year we have done the changes. Our recruitment rules were very old and of the year 1970-1971 and school education department was recruiting teachers according to that," he said.
"You are aware that the new NCTE, National Council for Teacher Education have made guidelines in 2001 and later made amendments in them. According to those we have made changes in the recruitment act and formation of Teachers Recruitment Board and the cabinet has given approval to it yesterday," he added.
Chakraborty said the state government has targeted to improve the quality of service in the public sector and also to ensure a trans-parent system of appointment.
"According to the NCTE guidelines passing the TET is compulsory. The TET examination will be in two sections - Paper 1 for teachers upto class five and Paper 2 upto class eight. In each paper there shall be examination in six sections and the total mark of 150 and to qualify the candidate has to get at least 60 percent mark," Chakraborty said.
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Chakraborty also informed that TET pass certificate shall be valid for seven years and it is not mandatory that if anyone pass the TET examination shall be entitled to get a job but they shall be getting preference and according to the mark scored.
He further said about the eligibility criteria that would require for candidates who aspire to be primary or an upper primary teacher.
"The minimum qualification to sit for the TET examination in primary teacher is that the candidate should have more than 50 percent in the higher secondary exam along with two years diploma in elementary education pass certificate. For upper primary TET the minimum qualification is graduate and diploma in elementary education," he said.
He also informed that there shall be a Teacher's Recruitment Board consisting of five members including renowned educationist, former college teacher, principal or university teacher and a nominated member of the state government.