Jagan urges Naidu to press Centre on TET exemption for pre-2011 teachers
Synopsis
Jagan Mohan Reddy has publicly called out CM Naidu for inaction on a TET exemption affecting over one lakh Andhra Pradesh teachers appointed before 2011 — educators who were never recruited under TET norms in the first place. The political pressure tests whether Naidu will take the fight to the Centre or leave veteran teachers in limbo.
Key Takeaways
Jagan Mohan Reddy on 8 July urged CM N.
Chandrababu Naidu to press the Centre for a TET exemption for pre-2011 teachers.
More than one lakh teachers in Andhra Pradesh who joined before 2011 are now required to clear the compulsory TET.
Many affected teachers have served as subject teachers for 20 to 25 years and were recruited through competitive exams before TET existed.
The Right to Education Act made TET mandatory only from 2011 , lending legal weight to the exemption demand.
Jagan criticised the state government for not passing an Assembly resolution seeking a Central amendment on the issue.
The TET rule is reportedly blocking promotions and causing job insecurity and mental stress among affected teachers.
Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday, 8 July urged Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to pressure the Centre into exempting teachers appointed before 2011 from the compulsory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) requirement. Jagan raised the issue on social media, calling the retroactive application of the rule 'neither fair nor practical' for educators who have served in schools for over two decades.
The Core Grievance
According to Jagan, more than one lakh teachers who have been serving in schools since before 2011 are now facing serious difficulties as they are required to clear the TET compulsorily. Many of these educators have worked as subject teachers for 20 to 25 years and were recruited through competitive examinations that were the prescribed standard at the time of their appointment — well before the TET was introduced.
Jagan argued that expecting experienced teachers to now clear a multi-subject examination and secure a minimum of 60 per cent marks amounts to imposing a qualification retrospectively. 'The TET did not even exist when they were recruited,' he noted, questioning the justification for such a requirement.
Legal Basis and the RTE Act
The Right to Education (RTE) Act made TET mandatory from 2011 onwards. Jagan pointed out that since the law itself came into force only from that year, teachers already in service before 2011 have a legitimate case for exemption. He said these teachers had already demonstrated their merit by clearing the competitive recruitment examinations that existed at the time, and their long service record further attests to their competence.
Impact on Teachers
According to Jagan, the compulsory TET rule is not only blocking promotions for affected teachers but is also creating uncertainty over their job security and causing severe mental stress. He criticised the Naidu-led state government for failing to address these concerns, pointing out that it has not even taken the step of passing a resolution in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly seeking an amendment to the law and forwarding it to the Central government.
What Jagan Demanded
The YSRCP chief demanded that the state government immediately exert pressure on the Centre to exempt all teachers appointed before 2011 from the TET requirement. He emphasised that these teachers secured their positions only after successfully clearing the competitive recruitment examinations in force at the time of their appointment, and that denying them relief amounts to disregarding their years of dedicated service.
The demand puts pressure on Chief Minister Naidu's administration to take a formal legislative or executive stance on the issue, with the political opposition now publicly flagging the matter. How the state government responds could have implications for over a lakh teaching professionals across Andhra Pradesh.
Point of View
And Jagan knows it. The broader question is whether this becomes a template for opposition pressure ahead of local body elections, or whether Naidu moves quickly enough to neutralise it by actually engaging Delhi.
NationPress
8 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Andhra Pradesh teachers protesting against the TET rule?
More than one lakh teachers appointed before 2011 are being required to clear the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) compulsorily, even though the test did not exist when they were recruited. They argue the rule is being applied retroactively and is blocking promotions while creating job insecurity.
What is the legal basis for the TET exemption demand?
The Right to Education (RTE) Act, which made TET mandatory, came into force in 2011. Since teachers already in service before that year were recruited under different norms, they argue the law should not apply to them retrospectively — a position Jagan Mohan Reddy publicly endorsed.
What has Jagan Mohan Reddy demanded from CM Naidu?
Jagan has demanded that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu pressure the Centre to exempt all teachers appointed before 2011 from the TET requirement. He also criticised the state government for not passing an Assembly resolution seeking a Central amendment on the issue.
How many teachers are affected by the TET rule in Andhra Pradesh?
According to Jagan Mohan Reddy, more than one lakh teachers who have been serving in Andhra Pradesh schools since before 2011 are affected. Many have worked as subject teachers for 20 to 25 years.
What happens if the TET exemption is not granted?
Affected teachers face blocked promotions, uncertainty over job security, and reportedly severe mental stress. Without a Centre-level exemption or legislative amendment, they remain compelled to clear a multi-subject exam requiring at least 60 per cent marks despite decades of teaching experience.
