By Firstdespatch Desk Jul 06, 2026
Agartala, July 6 (FD) The ongoing agitation by Teacher Eligibility Test (TET)-qualified candidates in Tripura has brought the issue of teacher shortages in government schools into sharp focus, with protesters alleging that prolonged delays in recruitment have worsened the staffing crisis across the state.
The demonstrators claimed that while thousands of qualified candidates remain unemployed, government schools are grappling with an acute shortage of teachers, affecting the quality of classroom education.
According to the protesters, the Elementary Education Department has more than 4,000 vacant teaching posts, yet the recruitment process for TET-qualified candidates has remained pending for nearly two years. They questioned the delay in publishing the merit list, arguing that immediate appointments are necessary to strengthen the state's education system.
The agitators said thousands of candidates have already qualified through the TET examination and are ready to join government service. They maintained that expediting recruitment would not only provide employment opportunities but also address the growing shortage of teachers in schools.
Highlighting the severity of the issue, the protesters alleged that more than 370 government schools in Tripura are currently functioning with only a single teacher. If the claim is accurate, a lone teacher is required to manage multiple classes while simultaneously handling examinations, administrative responsibilities, student records and other academic duties.
The demonstrators further alleged that the situation has worsened since July 2, when many teachers were assigned census-related duties. While clarifying that they are not opposed to the census exercise, they argued that the government should have filled existing vacancies before deploying teachers for additional responsibilities, ensuring that classroom teaching remained unaffected.
The protesters also questioned the pace of recruitment, pointing out that candidates selected under the Post Graduate Teacher (PGT) recruitment process have already received appointment letters, whereas TET-qualified candidates are still awaiting publication of the merit list.
Demanding immediate intervention, the agitators urged the Teachers' Recruitment Board, Tripura (TRBT) and the state government to publish the merit list and complete the recruitment process without further delay. They said timely appointments would simultaneously address unemployment among qualified candidates and ease the teacher shortage in government schools.
The demonstrators asserted that their agitation would continue until the authorities announce a definite timeline for releasing the merit list and issuing appointment letters.
Candidates from Belonia, Sabroom, and several other parts of the state travelled to Agartala to participate in Monday's protest, reiterating their demand for early recruitment.
The allegations raised by the protesters have added a new dimension to the ongoing TET recruitment issue by linking delayed appointments with the operational challenges faced by government schools. While the vacancy figures cited by the demonstrators have not been officially verified by the government, the claims are expected to intensify discussions on teacher recruitment, staffing shortages and the overall quality of school education in Tripura. FD JK