Andhra Pradesh’s Human Resource Development Minister, Nara Lokesh, announced on Tuesday that the state government plans to file a review petition with the Supreme Court. This move comes in direct challenge to the court’s recent ruling concerning the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET).
This decision, detailed in a recent press release, follows an urgent appeal from a delegation of TDP MLCs—Alapati Rajendra Prasad, Bhoomireddy Rangopal Reddy, and former MLC A.S. Ramakrishna. During their meeting at the Secretariat, the MLCs highlighted the significant anxiety and distress among in-service teachers, especially those appointed via DSC before October 23, 2010, who are now grappling with the Supreme Court’s mandate for TET qualification. They strongly advocated for the government to initiate a review petition to alleviate these concerns.
In compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive, the state government had previously instructed that all in-service Secondary Grade Teachers (SGTs) and School Assistants lacking TET qualification, and with over five years remaining until their retirement as of September 1, 2025, must clear the TET to retain their positions. A TET notification was promptly issued on October 24, 2025, to facilitate this.
The MLCs emphasized that this mandate has caused considerable alarm among long-serving educators, many of whom have dedicated 20 to 25 years to the profession. Failure to pass the TET could lead to their disqualification from service. Furthermore, even teachers nearing retirement, with less than five years of service left, would require TET qualification for any potential promotions.
In response to these representations, Minister Lokesh reaffirmed the government’s commitment to proceed with the TET as per the Supreme Court’s ruling. However, he also pledged to simultaneously file a review petition that would articulate the collective concerns and hopes of the teaching community. He assured the delegation that every effort would be made to protect the interests and service conditions of the state’s teachers.