Age limit to hire teachers directly for TN govt schools reduced to 40

CHENNAI: In a significant development, the Tamil Nadu government has reduced the age limit to 40 for direct appointment of teachers in the elementary educational service.

This will be applicable for appointing block educational officers, headmasters of primary and middle school, graduate teacher, secondary grade teacher, and pre-vocational instructor. Earlier, the maximum age for direct appointment was 56.

“Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (8) of Section 20 of the Tamil Nadu Government Servants (Conditions of Services) Act, 2016, no person shall be eligible for appointment by direct recruitment to any of the categories specified in these rules, if he has completed 40 years of age, on the first July of the year in which the vacancy is notified,” the GO said. Accordingly, every person appointed to any category by direct recruitment should be from the date on which he joins duty and will be on probation for two years on duty.

The teachers, directly appointed, should also appear for various tests according to the category within their probationary period. The test includes government office manual test, account test for subordinate officers – part I and two new exams - Tamil Nadu School Education Department administrative - paper I and Tamil Nadu School Education Department administrative - paper II. A senior official from the School Education Department told DT Next, “All these tests will also be applicable for those seeking promotions.”

Stating that the new tests will also be applicable for existing promoted teachers, he said, “The teaching staff should appear for both Tamil Nadu School Education Department administrative - paper I and paper II exams.”

Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Association president P K Ilamaran said, “About 35,000 TET qualified teaching aspirants, who have crossed 40 years of age, will be deprived of teaching jobs if it is implemented.”

Teachers’ Association prez Ilamaran said if the rule comes into force, many aspirants will not get govt jobs