Now, engineering graduates can teach at Karnataka govt schools

KEY STORY 

• Amid complaints over shrinking career opportunities for those who study pure science and humanities, the state government’s move to open the teaching profession in primary and secondary schools to techies has come as a major shock.

• The state government has brought in amendments to the Cadre and Recruitment (C&R) Rules of the Department of Primary and Secondary Education to allow engineering graduates to write the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET). The provision will come into effect from the next TET exam.

• Since getting eligibility in TET is mandatory to be appointed at state government schools, the department’s move is likely to benefit those from the engineering background.

• “In the earlier rules, there was no provision for engineering graduates to appear for TET, we have amended that rule,” said an official.

• Though BEd degree is a must for teaching, sources from the department said engineering graduates may be exempted from this rule. “Looking at the vacancies for Mathematics and Science subjects, we are considering exempting engineering graduates who wish to write TET and teach at government schools, from compulsory BEd,” said an official source from the department.

• Sources even said the number of candidates clearing TET is expected to rise from this year as it would be easier for engineering graduates to crack subjects like Mathematics and Science.

• At present, there are over 20,000 teacher vacancies in state government schools and only 3,000 were appointed during the drive to recruit 10,000 teachers by the department two years ago.

CONCLUSION

• The TET 2021 got delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the department is planning to conduct TET for 2022 soon.

• Data shows that the number of candidates getting eligibility in TET is very low.

• During TET 2021, the total number of candidates appearing for both paper 1 and paper 2 was 2,31,886. Of these, only 4,074 candidates got eligibility which is 19%.