Agartala: Thousands of aspiring teachers in Tripura find themselves in a frustrating limbo as the Teachers’ Recruitment Board, Tripura (TRBT), has failed to conduct the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for the past two years. With the clock ticking on the age eligibility criteria, anger and anxiety are mounting among candidates, many of whom are running out of time to apply for government teaching jobs.
Each year, thousands of young individuals in Tripura pursue degrees such as B.Ed and D.El.Ed, aiming to qualify for the annual selection tests conducted by TRBT. However, due to what officials describe as “technical and legal complications,” the exams, which are a gateway to teaching positions in government-run schools, have been stalled since 2022.
According to sources in the education department, now overseen by Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, several petitions related to the TET exams are currently under consideration in the High Court of Tripura. The state government has indicated that it cannot move forward with the exams until the court provides clearance.
In the interim, the delay has left aspiring teachers, many of whom have completed their professional training, feeling frustrated and disillusioned. For weeks, they have organized protests across the state, urging the government to release an official notification for the exams. On Monday, a united forum of B.Ed and D.El.Ed graduates staged a peaceful protest outside the Directorate of Education, seeking clarity on the delays.
“We are losing our chance to apply because of the age limit. The government has not communicated when the exams will be conducted or whether age relaxation will be granted for those of us who are nearing or have crossed the limit due to this disruption,” one protestor said.
Another aspirant criticized the government’s emphasis on skill development programs, arguing that such initiatives are irrelevant to those who have trained specifically to become teachers. “We signed up for courses like B.Ed and D.El.Ed with the singular goal of becoming teachers. Now it’s the government’s responsibility to ensure opportunities for us to take the exams and compete for positions in government schools,” the protestor asserted.
The demonstrators emphasized that their protests are not demands for direct employment but for the resumption of a fair examination process. “We are simply requesting the government to hold the exams. Only those who qualify will get jobs. This system has worked since TET-I and TET-II exams were introduced,” said another participant.
The delay in exams has cast uncertainty over the futures of thousands of candidates. While the government grapples with legal hurdles and administrative bottlenecks, aspiring teachers continue to push for a resolution that ensures their years of preparation and training are not wasted.
The Tripura government now faces mounting pressure to resolve the legal and procedural challenges hindering the exams and provide assurance to a growing pool of disheartened aspirants waiting for their opportunity to serve as educators.
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