Teachers hold protest over mandatory TET norms

Members of various teachers’ unions under the banner of the Joint Teachers Front staged a protest here on Thursday, burning copies of a letter issued by the Education Department mandating teachers appointed before 2011 to pass the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET).

The protesters demanded immediate withdrawal of the February 7, 2026 letter, which cancels an exemption granted on September 14, 2017.

Addressing the gathering, union leaders Sarabjit Singh Warhian, Partap Singh Thathgarh, Kuljit Kaur Mand, Gurpreet Singh Marimegha and Prabhjot Singh Gohalwar said the decision posed a serious threat to teachers. They claimed it would hinder promotions and jeopardise job security.

The speakers further alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party government, citing Supreme Court orders, was attempting to reduce the number of teachers in the department in the name of reforms.

The unions announced a state-level protest on February 22 at Shri Anandpur Sahib, the constituency of the Education Minister. Several other leaders, including Gurdeep Singh, Ravinder Singh and Gurbhej Singh, also addressed the gathering and reiterated the demand for immediate withdrawal of the order.