BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

The implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 requires the recruitment of a large number of teachers across the country in a time bound manner. In spite of the enormity of the task, it is desirable to ensure that quality requirement for recruitment of teachers is not diluted at any cost. It is therefore necessary to ensure that persons recruited as teachers possess the essential aptitude and ability to meet the challenges of teaching at the primary and upper primary level.

In accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) of Section 23 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) had vide Notification dated 23rd August, 2010 laid down the minimum qualifications for a person to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in classes I to VIII.

The one of the essential qualifications for a person to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in any of the schools referred to in clause (n) of section 2 of the RTE Act is that he/ she should pass the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) which will be conducted by the appropriate Government in accordance with the Guidelines framed by the NCTE.

The rationale for including the TET as a minimum qualification for a person to be eligible for appointment as a teacher is as under:

1. It would bring national standards and benchmark of teacher quality in the recruitment process
2. It would induce teacher education institutions and students from these institutions to further improve their performance standards
3. It would send a positive signal to all stakeholders that the Government lays special emphasis on teacher quality

The Department of School Education, Government of Punjab has entrusted the responsibility of conducting the Punjab State Teacher Eligibility Test (PSTET) to the SCERT, Punjab which shall be held on 21.8.2016.

Qualifying the PSTET would not confer a right on any person for recruitment/employment as it is only one of the eligibility criteria for appointment.

The Punjab State Teacher Eligibility Test (PSTET) is going to be conducted by the Department of School Education Government of Punjab to produce quality teachers for the nation. Meritorious has always been synonymous with quality education. Since the beginning, it has been the core task of our academic council to provide the students with a sound hold on the educational ground as well as make them learn how to excel in their professional lives. Character-building is and will always be the crux of our efforts towards developing a better society for the nation.

My best wishes to the candidates appearing for Punjab State Teacher Eligibility Test (PSTET)

S.Parkash Singh Badal,
Chief Minister of Punjab

The Department of School Education Government of Punjab is going to conduct the Punjab State Teacher Eligibility Test (PSTET) . Education and progress are closely related endeavors. The secrets of success of the developed nations lie only in their educational system, specially the quality of higher education. To realize the dream of prosperous and developed Punjab, we have no other alternative but to shake off the slumber of ignorance and to spread knowledge in every nook and corner of the country.

Best wishes to the candidates participating in PSTET.

S.Sikander Singh Maluka,
Education Minister