Supreme Court Upholds Rajasthan HC’s Decision To Not Allow B.Ed Students For REET-I Exam – News18

The Supreme Court (SC) has upheld the decision of the Rajasthan High Court (HC) about the eligibility criteria for candidates aspiring to participate in the Level-1 teacher recruitment process. The SC’s rejection of the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the National Council For Teacher Education (NCPE) and the central government has solidified the stance that only Basic School Training Certificate (BTSC) course candidates will be eligible to partake in the Level 1 teacher recruitment exams, as opposed to B.Ed degree holders. This decision applies to teaching roles encompassing grades 1 to 5.

The recent ruling by the SC has reverberated throughout the nation, impacting B.Ed degree candidates across states. The verdict is set to be applicable not only in Rajasthan but across all states of India as per their respective regulations. The origins of this dispute can be traced back to May 2018 when the NCPE declared B.Ed candidates eligible for recruitment to level-1 teaching positions through the Rajasthan Eligibility Exam for Teachers (REET).

However, this decision was met with strong opposition from Basic Training Certificate (BTC) diploma candidates in Rajasthan. Responding to the controversy, the Rajasthan HC invalidated the notification and stipulated that only Basic Training Certificate holders would qualify for primary teacher recruitment.

The division bench of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, presided over the cases presented by both parties, including the SLP by NCPE and the central government advocating for B.Ed candidates. During the proceedings, senior advocate Dr Manish Singhvi represented the government’s perspective, while Advocate Vigyan Shah presented the side of the diploma holders.

Following careful deliberation, the SC upheld the Rajasthan HC’s verdict, thereby allowing only BTSC candidates to appear for the REET level 1 examinations. However, it’s important to note that B.Ed candidates remain eligible to participate in the recruitment exams for roles in upper primary classes.