The Tamil Nadu Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) will conduct the Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET) three times in 2026. This decision follows a Supreme Court (SC) order. The SC mandated TET for all teachers to keep their jobs.
Special eligibility tests are scheduled for January , July , and December 2026 . These tests target all government teachers across Tamil Nadu.
TET Exam Schedule 2026
The January 2026 test has tentative dates. Paper 1 is set for January 24, 2026 . Paper 2 is set for January 25, 2026 . The official notification will release in the last week of November 2025 . Details for subsequent tests will follow.
| Exam Month | Paper I Tentative Date | Paper II Tentative Date | Notification Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | January 24, 2026 | January 25, 2026 | Last week of November 2025 |
| July 2026 | To be announced | To be announced | To be announced later |
| December 2026 | To be announced | To be announced | To be announced later |
Supreme Court Mandate
The Supreme Court recently mandated TET passage. This applies to all teachers in government and government-aided schools. The mandate covers teachers from Classes 1 to 8 .
Teachers must clear the exam within two years . Failure to pass will result in termination of service. An exemption applies to teachers with under five years remaining until retirement.
The Supreme Court also clarified TET’s role in promotions. Passing TET is essential for teacher promotions. No exemptions apply for promotions.
State Government’s Concerns
The Tamil Nadu government previously challenged the Supreme Court’s TET order. The state filed a petition against the retrospective enforcement.
School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi addressed the order’s impact. He stated enforcement would affect approximately 328,000 teachers with over five years of service. An additional 67,000 teachers nearing retirement would also face impact.
Minister Poyyamozhi issued a warning about potential teacher shortages. He stated unmodified enforcement could lead to nearly 400,000 fewer teachers . This shortage would severely impact the Right to Education . Rural, hilly, and marginalized children relying on government schools would be most affected.
Next Steps
Notifications for the July and December 2026 TET special eligibility tests will be released at a later date by the TRB.