Why is ‘Exam’ trending in India?

Published 24 October 2026 at 7:01 am · 10 sources · 100+ searches today

Tamil Nadu’s School Education Department has decided to conduct another special Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) in December 2026 for serving teachers. The issue is trending in India as of 24 October 2026 because roughly 1.1 lakh teachers failed the first special TET, and qualification is required for teachers handling Classes 1–8.

Key facts

Tamil Nadu will hold another special TET in December 2026.
The first special TET for in-service teachers was held on 4–5 July 2026.
About 1.09–1.10 lakh teachers failed the first exam.
Paper 2 for graduate teachers had only 38.3% pass rate.
SCERT and DIET centres will offer weekend coaching in teachers’ districts.

What happened

Tamil Nadu has decided to conduct another special Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) in December 2026 for serving teachers. The move comes after the first special TET, held on 4–5 July 2026, left a large number of teachers without the required qualification.

The test is being discussed widely because TET qualification is needed for teachers handling Classes 1–8. For many in-service teachers, the December re-test is a fresh chance to clear the exam.

Why it became a big issue

Reports differ slightly on how many teachers took the first exam: one report says 215,617, while another says 217,519. The discrepancy is uncertain, but both reports point to a very large turnout among serving teachers.

Around 1.09–1.10 lakh teachers failed the first exam. One report says 108,326 passed out of 217,519 candidates, and the biggest shortfall was in Paper 2 for graduate teachers, where only 38.3% passed.

Coaching and preparation

The Tamil Nadu State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and district-level DIET centres plan to provide face-to-face coaching for both Paper 1 and Paper 2.

The coaching is expected to begin the weekend after the 22–23 October announcements, with classes held on Saturdays and Sundays in teachers’ own districts. Officials shifted from online to in-person classes because teachers reportedly faced network problems and difficulty asking questions during the earlier online training.

What to watch next

As of 24 October 2026, the main thing to watch is the December 2026 special TET and how many serving teachers can clear it after district-level coaching.

The decision has also raised concern among B.Ed. and M.Ed. graduates and teacher-training candidates, who want an early regular TET and do not want repeated special exams only for serving teachers.

Frequently asked

Why is TET trending in Tamil Nadu now?

Tamil Nadu has decided to hold another special TET in December 2026 after many serving teachers failed the first special exam in July. The issue is trending because it affects teachers who need TET qualification for Classes 1–8.

When was the first special TET held?

The first special TET for in-service teachers was held on 4–5 July 2026. It was meant for serving teachers who needed to clear the eligibility test.

How many teachers failed the first special TET?

Reports say about 1.09–1.10 lakh teachers failed. One report also says 108,326 passed out of 217,519 candidates, but the exact total varies across reports.

Will there be coaching for the December TET?

Yes. SCERT and district DIET centres plan face-to-face coaching for Paper 1 and Paper 2. The classes are expected to run on Saturdays and Sundays in the teachers’ own districts.

Sources

Researched automatically from live news and written by Simpledot's AI; facts are limited to what the sources above report as of the published time. Spot an error? Tell us.