UPTET : Uncertain future stares at TET candidates

UPTET : Uncertain future stares at TET candidates

LUCKNOW: Archana successfully qualified the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) held in November 2011 and was looking towards a better future. But this computer teacher in a school, who draws a paltry salary of Rs 4,000, is crestfallen ever since TET anomalies came to the fore. Archana says: "Qualifying TET and getting a job was the only hope I had for better survival. But, it seems the government has left us nowhere. I doubt whether there will be any recruitments or not.''

With two kids and separated from her husband, survival for Archana has been tough. "Those who have eaten our money have no idea how we managed it. Spending nearly Rs 3,000 for a person like me is not easy,'' she says angrily. She had scored 101 marks (out of 150) in TET (primary schools), and 117 marks (out of 150) for TET (upper primary schools).

Conducted for the first time by state secondary education department on November 13, 2011, TET was surrounded in anomalies since beginning. On February 8, then secondary education director Sanjay Mohan was arrested for duping TET candidates by promising them success in the test. Mohan was charged with cheating, criminal conspiracy, and Anti-Corruption Act. On February 25, he was slapped with Gangster Act by Akbarpur police, Ramabai Nagar. The scam has now left candidates in a state of shock as uncertainty looms over their future.

But Archana is not the lone candidate. Ask Pratyush Mishra, who secured 112 in the first paper and 111 in the second, and he says: "This government job for me was like a penny thrown in a beggar's bowl. The financial conditions at my home are not positive and unemployment has taken its toll. While education officials are enjoying on our money, we are at the receiving end.''

On an average, Pratyush had spent nearly Rs 30,000 for appearing in TET. More than 25,000 were paid for coaching classes, rest for application forms and speed posts. "They (secondary education department) asked us to pay Rs 500 for each district where we want a job. And even after following every rule and regulation, we had to see such a day,'' he said.

Foreseeing her bleak future, a visually impaired Suprabha Verma said: "My father is a farmer. One of my brother works in a battery shop and two others do not work. In such financial strain, I chose to appear for TET as I finished BEd only last year. I wanted to help my family and also be self-dependent.''

TET, for Shailendra Prasad Shukla, a native of Azamgarh, was not only a handsome source of income but also a golden opportunity to enhance quality of education. "In my village, there are people who are not well qualified but are teachers in primary schools. I could not get a job because of poor marks in lower standards. TET was a medium to show your talent and I was successful in doing that. But in the present situation, things seem to get worsen.'' Shailendra's TET score is a good124 marks.


Avantika Shukla, another candidate, vents out her anger on the government. "After much hulabaloo for fair recruitment of teachers in primary and upper primary schools, TET turned out to be a mere cash earner for the secondary education officials. The candidates are left no where. All we have is a hope that things will get better.''

Supporting candidates, state secretary, UP Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh (UPMSS), RP Mishra said: "It's a scam worth crores. Most of the candidates who appeared for TET belonged to not very sound families. In many cases, this was their only effort for daily bread and butter. It's high time that the corrupt should be punished and recruitment for candidates begins.''

Times of India – ToI (27.2.12)