Schools across Maharashtra are set to remain closed on December 5 as teachers and non-teaching staff unite in protest against the state government’s decision to make the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) mandatory. The move has sparked widespread unrest among educators, with several prominent teachers’ organisations backing the shutdown.
Widespread Support Across Organisations
Leading associations, including the Maharashtra State Educational Institutions Corporation, Shikshak Sena, Shikshak Bharti, and Mumbai Marathi Adhyapak Sangh, have announced their participation in the protest. Both government and private schools are expected to close, highlighting the depth of opposition to the policy.
“Teachers who have been educating generations for years are now facing uncertainty,” said Jalandhar Sarode, State Working President of Shikshak Sena. “The TET mandate and group recognition rules put thousands of educators at risk of redundancy.”
TET Mandate Sparks Anxiety
The Supreme Court’s directive requires all teachers under the age of 53 to pass the TET. While the policy aims to standardise teacher qualifications, it has left veteran educators unsettled. Many teachers argue that excessive administrative work, online reporting, and pre-election tasks have already detracted from classroom teaching, affecting education quality.
To oppose this policy, teachers are submitting statements in three phases, culminating in the December 5 school shutdown.
Teachers Demand Immediate Reforms
The protesting organisations are also pressing for several urgent reforms:
- Exemption from TET for teachers appointed before 2013.
- Repeal of Group Recognition (GR) rules, restoring previous criteria.
- Reduction of non-academic workload, including online reporting.
- Implementation of a regular pay scale under the Education Servant Scheme.
- Immediate recruitment of non-teaching staff.
- Special concessions for minority schools regarding group recognition.
- End of contractualisation in the education sector.
- Implementation of the revised Assured Progress Plan.
Agitation to Continue if Demands Ignored
While Minister of State for Education Pankaj Bhoyar has promised to discuss the matter with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, no official circular has been issued by the Education Department. Shiksha Bharati Sanghatana’s Working President Subhash More warned that if the government does not respond promptly, a larger agitation could unfold during the December 10 winter session in Nagpur.
Peaceful Protests and Demonstrations
Teachers plan to hold demonstrations outside all district collector offices, and leaders are urging participants to remain disciplined and peaceful. Anil Bornare, President of the Mumbai Marathi Adhyapak Sangh, emphasised the importance of orderly protests while demanding immediate attention to their grievances.
“The ground beneath educators’ feet has shifted,” said Sarode, “and the TET compulsion combined with unfair group recognition threatens the very existence of schools outside the English-medium system.”
