Marks allotted for viva-voce likely to be reduced Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET)

GUWAHATI, Jan 29: The Assam Government is mulling reducing the total marks allotted for viva-voce for appointment of teachers.
Talking to mediapersons in Guwahati today, State Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that out of the total 300 marks in TET, 15 per cent marks (45 marks) had been allotted for viva-voce. But in order to erase any possibility of influence during interview while selecting candidates for appointment as teachers, the government is thinking about reducing the total marks allotted for viva-voce. "The cabinet will take a final decision on the total marks allotted for viva-voce by the end of next month. The idea is to make the process of appointment as transparent as possible and to leave no scope for any sort of influence or interference in the appointment process," said Sarma.
The Minister also said that out of the nearly 12,800 vacant posts, none of the posts were in Kamrup (metro) district. This means that any candidate from Kamrup (metro) district who has cleared TET, if interested can appear for interview in the districts where there are vacant posts. He added that in the TET for lower primary and upper primary level, B.Ed had not been made a mandatory educational qualification. However, B.Ed will be made a mandatory qualification for TET in the higher secondary level. "By 2014, even private schools will not be allowed to appoint teachers who have not cleared TET," said the Education Minister.
While there are 12,800 vacant posts, around 52,000 candidates cleared the recently conducted TET. "The Gauhati High Court has cleared the decks for appointment of regular teachers for 12,800 vacant posts. If it is satisfied with the transparency in the appointment process in the first phase, it will clear the decks for appointment of teachers in more vacant posts in the second phase. If it does not do so, the Assam Government will be compelled to approach the Supreme Court because as per the rules of the Right to Education Act, 90,000 posts of teachers have to be filled up in the State in the next five years," said Sarma. (SENTINELASSAM)