The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Government of Assam, has released an advertisement for the Special Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET) 2026 for Lower Primary (LP) and Upper Primary (UP) level teachers in Bodo, Garo, Manipuri, and Hmar mediums. The notification, issued on January 6, 2026, initiates the application process for aspiring teachers in these specific linguistic categories across the state.
This Special TET is a crucial qualifying examination designed to address the persistent shortage of Language-1 teachers in elementary schools that cater to these indigenous language mediums. Successful candidates will become eligible for future teacher recruitment drives, thereby strengthening the state’s commitment to mother tongue-based education.
What was announced
The advertisement for the Special TET – 2026 was officially released by the Government of Assam‘s Department of School Education through the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) on January 6, 2026. The online application window commenced on January 7, 2026, and will remain open until February 7, 2026. Candidates interested in teaching at the Lower Primary (Classes I-V) and Upper Primary (Classes VI-VIII) levels in Bodo, Garo, Manipuri, and Hmar medium schools are invited to apply. The application process is conducted online through the official portals, including sebaonline.org, ssa.assam.gov.in, and scert.assam.gov.in.
Why it matters
This Special TET holds significant importance for both the education sector and linguistic communities in Assam. It directly aims to mitigate the scarcity of teachers proficient in Bodo, Garo, Manipuri, and Hmar languages, a long-standing challenge in elementary schools. By ensuring a pool of qualified teachers in these mediums, the state government seeks to enhance the quality of education and support the cognitive development of children who learn best in their mother tongue.
Qualifying this examination is a mandatory step for individuals aspiring to secure teaching positions in these specific language medium schools. The TET certificate obtained through this exam will have lifetime validity, providing long-term eligibility for future recruitment processes. However, officials have clarified that merely qualifying the TET does not guarantee appointment; recruitment will be a separate process conducted by the state education department when vacancies arise. The initiative is expected to benefit a substantial number of aspiring teachers from these linguistic communities, offering them a clear pathway into the teaching profession.
Background
Assam, with its rich linguistic diversity, has long grappled with the challenge of providing quality education in indigenous languages. The struggle for the recognition and use of various languages as mediums of instruction dates back to the nineteenth century, when Bengali was initially imposed as the court and educational language during British rule, leading to resentment and a slow pace of educational progress for Assamese speakers. Over the decades, there have been movements and policy shifts to promote mother tongue education.
The current impetus for such specialized TETs aligns strongly with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The NEP 2020 advocates for instruction in the home language or mother tongue, at least until Grade 5, and preferably up to Grade 8, citing its benefits for comprehension, early literacy, and overall cognitive development. Research indicates that children learn more effectively, build reading and writing skills faster, and retain information better when taught in a familiar language.
In recent years, the Assam government has taken several steps to expand and strengthen indigenous language education. This includes introducing Mising, Deori, and Tiwa languages in primary schools and expanding the medium of instruction to a total of 14 languages. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has consistently reiterated the government’s priority to preserve and promote indigenous languages, stating that “every language carries the soul of its people and reflects their cultural roots.”
The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), established in 1985, plays a pivotal role as the academic think tank for school education in Assam. Its functions include curriculum and textbook development for all languages, teacher training, and educational research, all aligned with National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) norms. The current Special TET is a direct outcome of these policy directives and the ongoing efforts to ensure linguistic inclusivity in the state’s education system. Shortages of teachers in specific linguistic mediums have been documented, with reports highlighting difficulties in Garo medium schools, for instance, due to a lack of qualified teachers.
Key details
The Special TET – 2026 is designed for two levels:
- Lower Primary (LP) Level: For teachers aspiring to teach Classes I to V.
- Upper Primary (UP) Level: For teachers aspiring to teach Classes VI to VIII.
The examination will specifically cater to candidates for schools with Bodo, Garo, Manipuri, and Hmar mediums of instruction.
The online application process began on January 7, 2026, and the deadline for submission is February 7, 2026.
Eligibility criteria require candidates to be permanent residents of Assam and possess the minimum academic and professional qualifications as stipulated by NCTE. For the Lower Primary TET, this generally includes Senior Secondary (or equivalent) with at least 50% marks and a two-year Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed). For the Upper Primary TET, a graduation degree along with a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) or D.El.Ed is typically required. A 5% relaxation in academic marks in HSSLC or Graduation is applicable for candidates belonging to SC, ST, OBC, MOBC, and PwD categories to appear in the TET.
The examination will consist of multiple-choice questions, with each paper carrying a total of 150 marks. Candidates will be allotted two hours and thirty minutes for each paper, and there will be no negative marking. To qualify, general category candidates must score 60% (90 marks out of 150), while candidates from SC, ST (Hills/Plains), OBC, MOBC, and PwD categories require 55% (83 marks out of 150). Additionally, candidates must score a minimum of 60% (18 marks out of 30) in the Language-1 section for both Paper I and Paper II, with a 10% relaxation for reserved categories in this section.
The application fee for the Special TET is Rs 550 for General category candidates, Rs 450 for SC, ST, OBC, and MOBC candidates, and Rs 300 for Persons with Disabilities (PwD). The fee must be paid separately for each paper if a candidate applies for both LP and UP levels.
A crucial condition for recruitment is that either Language-I or Language-II of the ATET/CTET qualification must match the medium of instruction of the school to which the candidate wishes to apply.
What’s next
Following the conclusion of the application period on February 7, 2026, the SCERT, Assam, is expected to announce further details regarding the examination dates and admit card release. Successful candidates will then be eligible to participate in subsequent teacher recruitment processes conducted by the state’s education department. The government’s continued focus on strengthening linguistic diversity in education suggests that such specialized recruitment drives will remain a key component of its educational policy. Education department officials have indicated that preparations, including curriculum development and teacher training, are ongoing to ensure the smooth implementation of these initiatives.