Stricter Criteria for UP Assistant Teacher Recruitment; TET Set to Become Mandatory
Preparations are underway to make the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) mandatory for the upcoming LT Grade teacher recruitment in Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, rules regarding the educational qualifications of teachers will be clarified.
A change regarding recruitment is in the works for aspiring candidates aiming to become LT Grade Assistant Teachers in Uttar Pradesh’s government secondary schools. Plans are being made to make the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) mandatory for the next round of LT Grade teacher recruitment. Concurrently, regulations concerning teachers’ educational qualifications will be clarified. The Secondary Education Department has submitted a proposal to the government to amend the ‘Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Education Service Rules, 2024’ for this purpose. The proposal advocates aligning the qualifications for LT Grade teachers with the standards set by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). While the current rules mention the B.Ed. qualification, the position regarding minimum marks required at the graduation and post-graduation levels remains unclear. The new proposal aims to address this ambiguity and emphasizes making TET a mandatory qualification for recruitment.
The Secondary Education Department has proposed amendments to the rules for the upcoming LT Grade recruitment. A request to reconsider the regulations was made in a letter sent by the Director of Secondary Education, Pratap Singh Baghel, on September 14, 2026. Prior to this, directives regarding the matter were issued during a meeting chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary on September 7. Subsequently, the department drafted a proposal to amend the provisions governing the educational qualifications of Assistant Teachers in government secondary schools. The proposal focuses on clarifying recruitment rules and aligning them with NCTE standards. However, these changes are currently at the proposal stage; the final decision regarding making TET mandatory and implementing the new educational qualification criteria will depend on government approval.
50% Marks in UG or 45% in PG Required
The new proposal mandates adherence to the standards set by the NCTE on November 12, 2024, regarding the academic qualifications of teachers. Under these standards, the prescribed qualification for teachers instructing classes 6 through 10 includes a requirement of at least 50% marks in graduation or at least 45% marks in post-graduation. Additionally, a B.Ed. degree from a recognized institution is mandatory. In contrast, while the current regulations mention the B.Ed. requirement, they do not clearly specify the minimum marks required in graduation and post-graduation.
Process Accelerated Following Allahabad High Court Intervention
Petitions had been filed in the Allahabad High Court concerning academic qualifications and the mandatory nature of the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for the recruitment of LT Grade teachers. The court directed that the rules and the recruitment advertisement for teachers of classes 9 and 10 be clarified. Furthermore, attention was drawn to the need to amend the regulations to incorporate TET as a mandatory qualification.
