CET soon to select 11,000 teachers

Teacher's Day

The Common Entrance Test (CET) for the appointment of teachers to government schools in the State is likely to be held either in October or November this year. The selection will be completed on fast-track basis.

Disclosing this here on Friday, Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education Kimmane Ratnakar said the CET will be conducted for appointing about 11,000 teachers though the schools require about 28,000 teachers. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has promised to recruit at least 4,000 teachers every year, he added.

The Minister said a little more than 22,000 aspirants, who took the mandatory Karnataka Teacher Eligibility Test (KarTET), have qualified to take CET. However, the candidates must have basic knowledge of English and computers. In the CET, two additional papers with 25 marks each for testing English and computer skills would be introduced, besides the regular papers, he said.

“It is a must for the candidates to clear English and computer papers to get appointment,” Mr. Ratnakar said, adding that about 15,000 to 16,000 guest teachers had been appointed to overcome teachers’ shortage.

Mandatory service
The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is introducing a new clause which makes it mandatory for the newly-appointed teachers to work for at least 10 years. “We are not taking an undertaking from the teachers; the clause has been included in the C & R rules,” the Minister said.

Administrative changes are being brought into the department, in consultation with the Law Department, Mr. Ratnakar said.

A new legislation is being framed with regard to the tenure of the Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPIs) and Block Education Officers (BEO).

(The Hindu)