Political Firestorm: EPS Accuses DMK of Betraying Teachers on TET Issue

In a scathing attack on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami lambasted the ruling party for its alleged indifference towards thousands of Teachers Eligibility Test (TET)-qualified teachers. Speaking to reporters at Tiruchirapalli airport, Mr.

Palaniswami accused the DMK of reneging on its electoral promises and causing immense suffering to educators who cleared the TET between 2011 and 2012.

Mr. Palaniswami highlighted the plight of approximately 2,775 teachers appointed during the AIADMK regime, emphasizing that roughly 1,600 of them are still grappling with irregular appointments and unresolved salary issues.

He pointed out that while these dedicated teachers diligently cleared the TET as mandated by the AIADMK government, the current DMK administration has failed to regularize their services despite explicit promises made during their election campaign. This inaction, he argued, has plunged many teachers into a vortex of mental agony and financial hardship.

Recalling the historical context, Mr.

Palaniswami explained that during the DMK's previous tenure (2006-2011), numerous teachers were appointed without undergoing the TET. It was the subsequent AIADMK government, under his leadership, that introduced the mandatory TET for teacher appointments in 2011, aiming to elevate educational standards.

He questioned the logic and fairness of a system where teachers appointed by the DMK without TET are regularized, while those who met the rigorous standards set by the AIADMK government and cleared the TET are left in limbo.

The AIADMK leader further criticized the DMK's misplaced priorities, suggesting that the government is focusing on grand events like the Chess Olympiad while overlooking the pressing concerns of its own state employees.

He reiterated his demand for transparency, asking why the government, if truly committed to teacher welfare, has not yet regularized the services of the TET-qualified teachers from the 2011-2012 batch. His comments underscore a growing political narrative questioning the DMK's commitment to promises made to its electorate.

As he headed to Salem to attend a wedding, Mr.

Palaniswami's fiery remarks resonated with the sentiments of many affected teachers, bringing their long-standing grievances back into the political spotlight. He urged the DMK government to immediately fulfill its promise and ensure justice for these deserving educators, emphasizing that their continued suffering is a blot on the state’s governance.