Teacher unions in Andhra Pradesh have stepped up their agitation over the contentious Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) requirement for in-service teachers.

After repeated attempts to persuade the government to take up the issue with the Centre failed to yield a favourable response, the unions have now taken to the streets in different districts.

The unions are seeking relief for teachers appointed before TET became a mandatory qualification. They argue that imposing the requirement retrospectively is unfair to experienced teachers who entered service under the rules prevailing at the time of their appointment. They have demanded relaxation in qualifying marks and changes to the examination pattern for in-service teachers.

The Andhra Pradesh United Teachers’ Federation (APUTF) on Thursday announced an indefinite hunger strike from September 4.

Federation’s State president N. Venkateswarlu and general secretary K.S.S. Prasad said the decision was taken after repeated representations to HRD Minister Nara Lokesh and senior officials of the department failed to yield any result.

They demanded that the government press the Centre to amend Section 23(1) of the Right to Education Act, fix the qualifying mark for in-service teachers at 40%, allow teachers to write examinations in the subjects they teach, amend relevant NCTE guidelines and conduct the examination in offline mode.

The leaders said the hunger strike would begin at Alankar Centre in Vijayawada and warned that the agitation would be intensified if the government failed to initiate talks.

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh Teachers’ Federation (APTF) continued its protest at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada, where a demonstration demanding an offline Special TET entered its second day on Thursday.

APTF State general secretary K. Basava Linga Rao questioned the need to subject teachers with up to 30 years of service to an eligibility test when similar examinations were not imposed on professionals in other sectors.

He reiterated the demand for a 40% qualifying mark and argued that State governments had the authority to determine pass marks for reserved categories. He also alleged that inaccurate information was being conveyed to the HRD Minister and warned of a larger joint agitation if the issue remained unresolved.

Andhra Pradesh Primary Teachers’ Association (APPTA) called upon teachers across the State to wear black badges while attending duties on the Teachers’ Day.

APTA State president Kaki Prakash Rao and general secretary M.G. Mehdi said the symbolic protest was intended to highlight the continued demand for the withdrawal of TET for in-service teachers.