Shillong, May 30: The Meghalaya Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan School Association (MSSASA) announced on Saturday that the Supreme Court has extended the timeline for in-service teachers to acquire the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) qualification.
Initially set for two years, the deadline has been pushed to three years, allowing teachers until August 31, 2028, to meet this requirement.
Speaking to reporters MSSASA, president Aristotle Rymbai stated this extension follows a batch of review petitions filed by teachers who sought to reassess the Supreme Court’s previous ruling from September 1, 2025.
Rymbai said the review petition was significant as it echoed concerns raised by teacher associations nationwide, which were lodged with the Supreme Court on October 24, 2025. After two hearings on May 13 and May 29, 2026, the court delivered its revised order.
Despite the new deadline, the Supreme Court upheld a key aspect of its 2025 decision, requiring in-service teachers who have been recruited prior to the enactment of the Right to Education (RTE) Act and are within five years of retirement to qualify for the TET.
Furthermore, the court mandated that all state governments are responsible for conducting the TET at least twice a year, ensuring a minimum of six opportunities for in-service teachers over the next three years, Rymbai added.
