The recent notification by the Tamil Nadu Teachers Recruitment Board (TN TRB) to conduct another examination to fill up vacant posts at various departments, 10 years since the last recruitment was made, has irked candidates who have already cleared the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET).
“We held protests when recruitment was not made in 2013. Since then, we have had organised 14 protests, met with the Education Department Director, Education Secretary and the Education Minister, seeking recruitment to various posts. No action was taken,” rued A. Elumalai, president of the 2013 TET-Passed Candidates Welfare Association, who termed the move to conduct another recruitment examination as an “eyewash” in the run-up to the elections. Mr. Elumalai said he had since 2013 thrice cleared both papers of the TET examination.
The members of the association condemned the DMK for not carrying out their promise to withdraw Government Order 149 passed during AIADMK regime. As per G.O. 149, those who cleared the TET examination needed to take another test to be appointed to the various posts. The DMK went back on its words, the association members said.
As per the notification, direct recruitment will take place for 2,222 graduate teachers and Block Resource Teacher Educators, including 194 seats reserved for SC and ST candidates, to the Directorate of School Education, Directorate of MBC/DNC Welfare, Directorate of Adi Dravidar Welfare and the Directorate for the Welfare of the Differently Abled.
However, Mr. Elumalai expressed doubts about the figures. “Teachers retire every year. This year alone 3,000 teachers would have retired. Moreover, the number of vacant posts would have mounted with promotions. Hence, how can the number of vacant posts be just 2,222? It should be 6,600 vacant posts,” he said.
“When the DMK was the opposition party, they had termed G.O. 149 as inhumane. Now they are making announcements in regard to the same order,” said M. Shanmugapriya, State Secretary of the association.
Sa. Marimuthu, who had passed the TET examination in 2013, says the weightage system changed, rendering almost half of his batch not eligible for government teachers’ posts. “I worked in a private school hoping that the government will help us. But now I work as an event planner to make ends meet,” said Mr. Marimuthu, who holds a Ph.D.
V. Ramya, a member of the association from Perambalur, wondered how G.O. 149 will be implemented when there is a case pending in the High Court.
Candidates who cleared the TET examination in 2013 will be awarded 0.5 marks for every year since the clearing of the papers.
