Agartala, Mar 23: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Monday clarified in the Assembly that qualifying the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) does not ensure recruitment as a teacher.

Responding to a private member resolution during the final day of the Budget Session, the Chief Minister stated that clearing TET is only a basic eligibility criterion that allows candidates to apply for teaching positions.

It does not grant any legal entitlement to a job, he asserted, adding that appointments are strictly made based on merit, availability of vacancies, and established recruitment norms. The Chief Minister maintained that recruitment must follow due procedure to ensure quality education.

Highlighting the government’s track record, Dr. Saha said the Teachers’ Recruitment Board, Tripura (TRBT) has conducted TET examinations nine times between 2015 and 2024. He noted that while nearly 75 percent of qualified candidates were recruited before 2018, the figure has slightly improved to around 78 percent in the subsequent years.

Emphasizing that teacher recruitment is a continuous process, the Chief Minister informed the House that the state Cabinet had approved the appointment of 2,056 elementary teachers last year, and the process has already been initiated through TRBT.

He further added that steps are being taken to address gaps in specialized areas, with appointment offers issued to special educators and physical education teachers. Proposals for recruiting graduate and subject teachers are also underway, with examinations already conducted.

Reaffirming the government’s stance, Dr. Saha said efforts are focused on strengthening the education system while maintaining transparency and fairness in the recruitment process.

MLA Gopal Chandra Roy also participated in the discussion.