Teachers Demand Election Duty Exemption Amidst CTET Exam Clash in Maharashtra, ETEducation
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Teachers and non-teaching staffers across Maharashtra continue to face acute uncertainty as the rescheduled district council and panchayat samiti elections clash with board practical examinations and the mandatory Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET).
Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education is currently conducting Class X and XII practical examinations, even as teachers are deployed for election-related work, both categorised as essential services. With multiple responsibilities converging, teachers said the pressure has taken a toll on their mental wellbeing, leaving them unsure about which duty they should prioritise.
After a three-day state mourning period reduced campaigning time for political parties, the Election Commission revised the poll schedule. Voting for district councils and panchayat samitis had been postponed from Feb 5 to Feb 7, while counting was shifted from Feb 7 to Feb 9.
The revised dates created problem for teachers preparing to appear for CTET, which is mandatory under Supreme Court orders. On Sept 1, 2025, the apex court ruled that teachers who fail to clear the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) or CTET by 2027 would be removed from service.
CTET examinations are scheduled on Feb 7 and 8 and are being conducted at limited centres across Maharashtra, including Mumbai, Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Amravati, and Solapur. With only 7 examination centres in the state, teachers from several districts will need to travel long distances, raising concerns about feasibility if they are assigned election duty.
Taking note of the situation, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district collector Deelip Swami on Friday issued a letter directing the Zilla Parishad to compile details of teachers who applied for CTET. Officials said the data is being collected to assess the scale of the issue and explore possible administrative solutions.
“The Supreme Court has clearly stated that teachers who do not clear TET exams before 2027 will lose their jobs. CTET is conducted by the central govt, and nearly 75% of teachers filled exam forms this time. They are now caught in a dilemma over whether to appear for the exam or report for election duty,” said Vijay Salkar, district president of Maharashtra Rajya Prathmik Shikshak Samiti, the state’s largest and oldest teachers’ union. He demanded that teachers appearing for CTET be exempted from election duties.
Maharashtra Rajya Shikshak Wa Shikshetar Sena state spokesperson Mahesh Labade said CTET dates were announced three months ago and saw an unprecedented response. “Considering the high number of candidates and limited centres, some teachers have been scheduled for the exam on Feb 7, while others will appear on Feb 8. Forcing them into election duty during this period will directly jeopardise their careers,” he said, urging immediate intervention by the Election Commission.
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