BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

The implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 requires the recruitment of a large number of teachers across the country in a time bound manner. In spite of the enormity of the task, it is desirable to ensure that quality requirement for recruitment of teachers is not diluted at any cost. It is therefore necessary to ensure that persons recruited as teachers possess the essential aptitude and ability to meet the challenges of teaching at the primary and upper primary level.

In accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) of Section 23 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) had vide Notification dated 23rd August, 2010 laid down the minimum qualifications for a person to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in classes I to VIII.

The one of the essential qualifications for a person to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in any of the schools referred to in clause (n) of section 2 of the RTE Act is that he/ she should pass the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) which will be conducted by the appropriate Government in accordance with the Guidelines framed by the NCTE.

The rationale for including the TET as a minimum qualification for a person to be eligible for appointment as a teacher is as under:

• It would bring national standards and benchmark of teacher quality in the recruitment process
• It would induce teacher education institutions and students from these institutions to further improve their performance standards
• It would send a positive signal to all stakeholders that the Government lays special emphasis on teacher quality

The Department of School Education, Government of Punjab has entrusted the responsibility of conducting the Punjab State Teacher Eligibility Test (PSTET) to the SCERT, Punjab which shall be held on 21.8.2016.

Qualifying the PSTET would not confer a right on any person for recruitment / employment as it is only one of the eligibility criteria for appointment.

The candidates having the following minimum educational qualification are eligible for Appearing in PSTET.

Minimum Educational Qualifications for becoming Teacher for Classes I-V (Primary Stage):

• Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks and passed or appearing in final year of 2- year Diploma in Elementary Education (by whatever name known).
  
  OR
• Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 45% marks and passed or appearing in final year of 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education (by whatever name known), in accordance with the NCTE (Recognition Norms and Procedure), Regulations, 2002.
  
  OR
• Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks and passed or appearing in final year of 4-year Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed).
  
  OR
• Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks and passed or appearing in final year of 2-year Diploma in Education (Special Education)*.
  
  OR
• Graduation and passed or appearing in final year of two year Diploma in Elementary Education (by whatever name known).

Minimum Educational Qualification for becoming Teacher for Classes VI-VIII (Elementary Stage):

• Graduation and passed or appearing in final year of 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education (by whatever name known).
  
  OR
• Graduation with at least 50% marks and passed or appearing in 1-year Bachelor in Education (B.Ed).
  
  OR
• Graduation with at least 45% marks and passed or appearing in 1-year Bachelor in Education (B.Ed), in accordance with the NCTE (Recognition Norms and Procedure) Regulations issued from time to time in this regard.
  
  OR
• Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks and passed or appearing in final year of 4-year Bachelor in Elementary Education (B.El.Ed).
  
  OR
• Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks and passed or appearing in final year of 4-year B.A/B.Sc.Ed or B.A. Ed/B.Sc.Ed.
  
  OR
• Graduation with at least 50% marks and passed or appearing in 1-year B.Ed. (Special Education)*.

Note:

• Relaxation up to 5% in the qualifying marks in the minimum Educational Qualification for eligibility to apply shall be allowed to the candidates belonging to reserved categories, such as SC/ST/OBC/Differently abled.
• *Diploma/Degree Course in Teacher Education: For the purposes of this Notification, a diploma/degree course in teacher education recognized by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) only shall be considered. However, in case of Diploma in Education (Special Education) and B.ED. (Special Education), a course recognized by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) only shall be considered.
• Training to be undergone: A person with D.Ed. (Special Education) or B.Ed. (Special Education) qualification shall undergo, after appointment an NCTE recognized 6-month Special Programme in Elementary Education.
• The minimum qualifications referred above apply to teachers of Languages, Social Studies/Social Science, Mathematics, Science etc. In respect of teachers for Physical Education, the minimum qualification norms for Physical Education teachers referred to in NCTE Regulation, dated 3rd November, 2001 (as amended from time to time) shall be applicable. For teachers of Art Education, Craft Education, Home Science, Work Education, etc. the existing eligibility norms prescribed by the State Governments and other school managements shall be applicable till such time the NCTE lays down the minimum qualifications in respect of such teachers.
• Candidates who are appearing in the final year of Bachelor Degree in Education or Diploma in Elementary Education etc. are provisionally admitted and their PSTET Certificate shall be valid only on passing the aforesaid Examinations.
• The candidate not having any of the above qualification shall not be eligible for appearing in Punjab State Teacher Eligibility Test.

STEP-1: ON-LINE REGISTRATION
The eligible candidates shall apply on-line for the PSTET-I or PSTET-II or Both, at the website www.tetpunjab.com. It is suggested to candidates to carry recent testimonials, scanned photograph & signature with him/her while applying on-line, so that right information may be entered. The candidates who are interested for both PSTET-I & PSTET-II, have no need to apply separately, only single registration is sufficient. The candidates are advised to fill information carefully because after successful registration the editing regarding category/test selection/optional subject in PSTET-I or PSTET-II is not possible.

STEP-2: UPLOADING OF PHOTO AND SIGNATURE
It is mandatory for candidates to upload their recent colored passport size photograph and signature on the panel to complete the registration process successfully. Printing of confirmation page is not possible without uploading the photograph and signature. The photograph and signature must be less than 1MB in size.

STEP-3: PAYMENT OF FEE
After successful registration the candidates can pay their fee from the three available payment options as mentioned below:

• CREDIT / DEBIT CARD : Candidates can direct deposit their fee through any Master/Visa Credit/Debit Card.
• NET BANKING : Candidates can also deposit their fee through the net banking available for any of the listed banks
• PRINTING OF BANK CHALLAN : Candidates can opt the bank where he/she interested to deposit the examination fee and will take the print of bank challan (two copies-one for candidate & one for bank). After taking the print of challan, the candidate shall approach the concerned bank to deposit the fee.

STEP-4: CONFIRMATION OF EXAMINATION FEE
After 48 hours of deposition of the examination fees in the bank, the fee status will be updated in candidate's login and then the candidate can proceed for printing of confirmation page by visiting the website www.tetpunjab.com and by logging his/her account.

STEP-5: CONFIRMATION PAGE
The candidate signs the Confirmation Page at the specified place. The candidate must keep the Confirmation Page for use as reference for future correspondence.

STEP-6: PRINTING OF ADMIT CARD
The candidate will take the print out of admit card for PSTET-I and PSTET-II separately, affix recent photo on it and get it attested from any Gazetted Officer, ensuring clear display of the face, on the basis of which he/she will be allowed to enter in the examination hall.

STEP-7: WRITTEN EXAMINATION
While appearing for the written examination, candidate must have the admit card separately for PSTET-I and PSTET-II (which is applicable) alongwith photo I-card in the form of Driving License/ Passport/ Voter Card/ PAN Card/ Aadhar Card, ensuring clear display of the face. During written examination, the thumb impression of candidate may be taken on OMR sheet and which may be compared at the time of issuing of certificate.

STEP-8: RESULT
Answer keys shall be made available to the candidates on the website within two days after the conducting the examination, so that the candidates can evaluate themselves. The actual result will be displayed on website as per mentioned dates.

SPECIAL NOTE

• If any candidate feels any difficulty in applying for PSTET-2016, may take the help from the helpline (phone numbers +91-7065585224, 7065585225, 7065585226. from Monday to Friday at 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM. Support Center facility is also available to the candidates and the students may get their solutions.
• Candidates are advised to keep their application number and password secret. Do not disclose this information with any others, so that nobody can change your profile.
• Only those candidates are allow to sit in the examination, who have deposited the examination fee and who fulfill the eligibility criteria.
• Appearing in the written examination does not justify the eligibility of candidate. If a candidate qualifies the PSTET-2016, but the information provided by him/her is found incorrect, then certificate will not be issued to such candidates and the legal action will taken against such candidates.
• There will be NO NEGATIVE MARKING. Each right answer will carry one mark.
• Candidates should bring with them BLUE or BLACK Ball Pens only. Books, written notes, calculator, mobile phones and other electronic devices etc. will not be permitted to be carried in the examination hall.

Fee Payment Mode

• Payment through Challan
  • Cash Deposit in AXIS Bank
• Online payment through Credit / Debit Card and Net Banking

According to Letter No. 1/30/99-5SS/3512 Dt. 29.7.2001 of Department of Social Security & Women & Child Development, Punjab amanuensis will be provided to the Blind & Physically Handicapped (from Hands only) candidates according to following conditions:

• Candidate will arrange amanuensis by himself.
• The qualification of amanuensis should not be more than that of the candidate.
• The scribe should not be running a coaching centre.
• The scribe should not be a school teacher/Master/Lecturer and College Lecturer.
• Amanuensis should not be relative of the candidate.
• Amanuensis should not have qualified PSTET.
• Amanuensis shall be allowed only after verification of disability certificate.
• According to Letter No. 1/30/99-5SS/3512 Dt. 29.7.2001 the candidate will be given 20 minutes compensatory time against one hour.

It is also brought into your notice that in accordance with NCTE Circular No.76-4/2010/NCTE/Acad dated 11.02.2011 regarding Guidelines for conduct of Teacher Eligibility Test, the time duration for Paper-I & Paper-II, has been mentioned as 1.30 hours in TET. The NCTE vide letter No.F.76-1/2011/NCTE/Acad dated 9th April, 2013, has increased the time duration for TET Examination from 1.30 hours to 2.30 hours for a period of six months or till the report of the committee for this purpose, is submitted and a decision is taken thereon, whichever is earlier.

As per NCTE's letter no. F 76-2/2013/NCTE/Acad/A87927 dated 22-5-2014, the extended time duration as stipulated in NCTE letter dated 09th April 2013 has further been extended till the Committee constituted for the purpose submit its report. Accordingly, as per the aforesaid NCTE Notification regarding extension of time duration to complete TET will be subject to the above mentioned condition/ decision.