Shillong, Apr 24: Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui launched a scathing attack against the Voice of the People Party (VPP), accusing the opposition of engaging in “political theatre” and deliberately distorting facts regarding the Teacher Eligibility Test requirements.
The Minister’s remarks come in response to VPP claims that the government is harassing long-serving teachers by forcing them to clear the Meghalaya Teacher Eligibility Test (MTET) late in their careers. Rymbui dismissed these allegations as an irresponsible narrative aimed at provoking fear within the teaching community for political mileage.
Addressing the core of the controversy, Rymbui clarified that the TET requirement is not a state-imposed policy but a mandate arising from the federal Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009.
He further noted that this requirement was recently reinforced by a Supreme Court of India judgment on September 1, 2025.
According to the court directive, all in-service teachers for classes 1 to 8 with more than five years of remaining service must clear the TET by August 31, 2027. Teachers with less than five years of service are exempt from this requirement for the continuation of their jobs, though it remains a factor for future promotions.
Rymbui questioned the integrity of the VPP’s stance, suggesting the opposition is conveniently ignoring a binding Supreme Court directive to create unwarranted unrest.
He emphasised that the state government is not passive on the matter and has already filed a review petition before the Supreme Court to challenge the retrospective implications of the judgement. This legal effort is being mirrored by the state’s largest teachers’ body, the Meghalaya SSA Schools Association (MSSASA), which has also approached the court.
The minister argued that these judicial actions, rather than political sloganeering, represent the true path to a resolution for affected educators.
In addition to legal challenges, Rymbui highlighted several measures taken by the government to support teachers through this transition.
“These include a commitment to conduct at least three MTET examinations before the 2027 deadline to provide multiple opportunities for qualification, the publication of a dedicated MTET guidebook and direct engagement by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma with the Union Minister of Education,” he said.
Concluding his rebuttal, Rymbui stated that the opposition’s allegations of “harassment” collapse when faced with the reality of the government’s efforts to balance legal compliance with teacher welfare.
He maintained that while the government is bound by the highest court’s orders, it is simultaneously working through lawful channels to protect the interests of the teaching community.
The Education Minister urged teachers to rely on these constructive solutions rather than the “alarmism and propaganda” he claims are being peddled by the opposition.
