Allahabad HC upholds UP Special TET 2026 for in-service teachers, rejects Shiksha Mitras' plea

The Allahabad High Court dismissed petitions from 221 Shiksha Mitras seeking inclusion in the Special Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) 2026, upholding the exam's restriction to in-service teachers. Justice Manju Rani Chauhan ruled the petitioners cannot claim eligibility for the special exam merely because they qualify for the general TET. The court cited a Supreme Court mandate requiring all teachers in government and aided schools to pass TET, with in-service teachers given one year to clear a special exam or face job loss. It stated the special TET is a transitional measure for existing teachers, not a recruitment mechanism or preferential appointment right. The court rejected arguments of constitutional violations under Articles 14 and 16, finding the classification between in-service teachers and others rests on an intelligible differentia with a direct nexus to the objective. The challenge to the September 2, 2026 government order was consequently dismissed.