Agartala, June 09, 2026: A cloud of uncertainty has descended over the future of more than 10,000 teachers in Tripura following a recent Supreme Court verdict that has made the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) a compulsory qualification for teaching children between the ages of 6 and 14 years.

According to sources in the Education Department, nearly 8,000 teachers employed in government and government-aided schools are likely to be affected by the ruling. The number could rise further if the directive is extended to private schools as well. A detailed assessment is currently underway, with authorities collecting data from schools across the state to identify the exact number of teachers falling under the ambit of the judgment.

The apex court has fixed September 1, 2028, as the deadline for eligible teachers to clear the TET. Teachers above 55 years of age and those with less than five years remaining before retirement have been exempted, providing relief to a section of the teaching community. However, anxiety is growing among younger teachers who have not yet qualified the examination.

Preliminary reports suggest that several batches of teachers recruited during 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007 and 2012, particularly science and assistant teachers, may be impacted.

Questions also remain over whether the ruling will apply to teachers engaged under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, as they are not regular government employees and operate outside conventional service rules.

The verdict was delivered by a division bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Manmohan while hearing review petitions in the Anjuman Ishaat-e-Talim Trust vs State of Maharashtra case. As discussions intensify among teacher and employee organisations, attention is now focused on the state government’s response and possible measures to address the concerns of affected educators.