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Govt Exploring Legal Options, ‘No Teacher Will Lose Job’: Harjot Bains
Chandigarh: Amid protests by teachers over the Supreme Court’s ruling mandating the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for promotions, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Thursday assured that the state government was exploring all legal options to safeguard their interests and ensure job security.
“Your jobs are secure. No one will lose their job. The Punjab government stands firmly with its teachers,” Bains said while addressing a press conference, adding that he was in constant touch with teachers’ unions to resolve their concerns.
In its landmark September 1, 2025, ruling, the Supreme Court of India mandated that all teachers must clear TET to remain eligible for promotions, invoking Article 142 to ensure uniform teaching standards under the Right to Education Act.
Teachers with more than five years of service remaining must qualify within a two-year grace period ending in August 2027, while those with fewer than five years remaining are exempt from clearing TET but will not be eligible for promotions.
Teachers’ unions have opposed the ruling, arguing that many were recruited before TET was introduced in 2011 and had already met merit-based eligibility criteria.
Rs 400-Crore Digitalisation Drive to Equip 5,000 Govt Schools with Modern Technology
Alongside addressing the TET controversy, Bains announced a ₹400-crore digitalisation initiative under the Punjab Sikhya Kranti programme to modernise government schools with cutting-edge infrastructure.
The project includes the installation of 38,649 new desktop computers across 5,012 government schools, covering all senior secondary and high schools and half of the middle schools.
Additionally, 8,268 Interactive Flat Panels are being installed in 3,694 schools to enable smart classroom learning, while nearly 5,000 schools will have fully equipped computer labs.
“This massive infusion of technology ensures digital literacy and smart learning become a right of every student, not just a privilege of private schools,” Bains said.
Smart Classrooms to Replace Outdated Systems, Deliveries Already Underway
Describing the initiative as a historic shift from traditional chalkboards to digital education, the minister said obsolete systems were being phased out to create a modern learning environment.
“For too long, students were forced to use outdated computers that barely functioned. This transformation will permanently modernise our schools,” Bains said. He added that deliveries of new equipment had already begun, and all government schools across Punjab would receive upgraded infrastructure by March 20.
School heads have been instructed to organise “Unboxing Celebration Programmes” involving parents, panchayats, and community members to showcase the digital transformation underway in government schools.
The twin developments—government assurances on the TET issue and a massive push for digital infrastructure
—highlight the AAP government’s effort to balance teacher concerns while accelerating its education reform agenda ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
