Teachers stage protest in Bhopal opposing mandatory TET requirement:Large crowd overwhelms venue, participants sit under trees

A large-scale protest by teachers is underway in Bhopal on Saturday, following a call by the Joint Front of Assistant Teachers and Teachers. Thousands of educators from across Madhya Pradesh have gathered at the Dashahara Ground in the BHEL area as part of the “Chief Minister Request March.” According to the organizers, more than 50,000 teachers have participated in the demonstration. The overwhelming turnout led to severe overcrowding at the venue, forcing many attendees to sit under the shade of trees due to a lack of space in the main tent. Opposition to mandatory TET requirement Leaders of the joint front stated that currently serving teachers are being compelled to clear the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), which they termed completely unjust. They argued that all required qualifications had already been fulfilled at the time of their recruitment, and imposing new eligibility criteria after 20–25 years of service is unfair. Protest photos Impact of Supreme Court order The protest follows a recent Supreme Court order, which has reportedly affected 90–95% of teachers. Most of those impacted are educators who were transitioned from the assistant teacher cadre to the teacher cadre. These teachers, who began their careers on lower pay scales, are still struggling for basic rights such as pension benefits, gratuity, and proper calculation of their service tenure, the representatives added.