Why in news:

• The Punjab and Haryana High Court has recently reviewed and upheld the Haryana government's decision to extend the validity period of the Haryana Teacher Eligibility Test beyond the usual seven years.

Key Points:

• This decision by the state government was challenged through a petition filed before the court.
• Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, presiding over the case, dismissed the petition filed before the Court, which contested a public notice issued by the Haryana Staff Selection Commission.
• This public notice issued by the Commission had allowed candidates with Haryana Teacher Eligibility Test certificates issued in 2015, which had expired in December 2022, to apply for advertised Trained Graduate Teacher posts.
• The petitioner in this regard, had argued that the Haryana Staff Selection Commission lacked the authority to extend the validity period of Haryana Teacher Eligibility Test certificates beyond seven years.  Additionally, it was contended that the government's approval of this extension post the commencement of the selection process was unlawful.
• In response to these claims, the state government had defended its position by highlighting the exceptional difficulties faced by candidates, which necessitated the extension of Haryana Teacher Eligibility Test validity.
• In its decision, the High Court emphasized the government's authority to determine the validity duration of Haryana Teacher Eligibility Test certificates. It asserted that such decisions fall within the government's jurisdiction and are crucial to ensuring fairness in public employment opportunities for candidates.
• Further, the extension was justified as a means to prevent candidates from being unfairly disadvantaged due to the expiration of their Haryana Teacher Eligibility Test certificates.

• After thorough consideration of all the factors, the High Court upheld the Haryana government's decision. It cited the absence of recruitment activities in the department between 2015 and 2022, partly attributed to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Moreover, the High Court affirmed the government's competence to determine the validity period of HTET certificates, adhering to guidelines established by the National Council for Teacher Education.

National Council for Teacher Education

• The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) is a statutory body of the Indian government which was set up in 1995 under the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993.
• The NCTE aims to oversee the formal standards, protocols, procedures, and processes in the Indian basic  education system.

What does the NCTE do:

• The NCTE functions on the central and the state level and handles all matter related to Teacher Education.
• The NCTE’s secretariat is located in New Delhi along with the Department of Teacher Education and National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).