AP Special TET 2026 for In-Service Teachers Appointed Before 2011 – Government Permission Accorded

AP Special TET 2026: The Government of Andhra Pradesh has accorded permission to conduct a Special Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) exclusively for in-service teachers appointed prior to 2011. The Special TET will be conducted in addition to the regular Andhra Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (APTET).

The decision has been taken to provide adequate opportunities to eligible in-service teachers to acquire the mandatory TET qualification before 31 August 2028, in accordance with the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

The School Education (Services-I) Department issued Memo No. 3303567/Services-1/A2/2026, dated 25-06-2026, according permission to the Director of School Education (DSE), Andhra Pradesh, to conduct the Special TET.

Read Also : Special TET for AP Teachers

AP Special TET 2026 – Overview

Particulars	Details
Examination Name	AP Special Teacher Eligibility Test (Special TET)
State	Andhra Pradesh
Department	School Education Department, Andhra Pradesh
Eligible Teachers	In-service teachers appointed prior to 2011
Government Memo No.	3303567/Services-1/A2/2026
Memo Date	25 June 2026
Purpose	To enable eligible in-service teachers to acquire TET qualification
TET Qualification Deadline	31 August 2028
Regular APTET	Will continue as usual
Official Updates	APTeacher.net

Table of Contents

• AP Government Permission for Special TET
• Who Is Eligible for AP Special TET?
• Supreme Court Directions on TET Qualification
• TET Qualification Deadline Extended to 2028
• Special TET and Regular APTET
• Important Points for In-Service Teachers
• Frequently Asked Questions

AP Government Permission for Special TET 2026

The Government of Andhra Pradesh, after careful examination of the matter, has accorded permission to the Director of School Education (DSE) to conduct a Special Teacher Eligibility Test exclusively for in-service teachers appointed prior to 2011.

The Special TET will be conducted in addition to the regular TET examination. The main objective is to support experienced teachers who were appointed before the TET qualification became a mandatory requirement at the time of recruitment.

The Government has requested the Director of School Education to take further necessary action for conducting the examination.

Who Is Eligible for AP Special TET 2026?

According to the Government Memo, the proposed Special TET is intended exclusively for in-service teachers appointed prior to 2011.

These teachers were recruited before the enactment and implementation of the TET requirement applicable to teacher appointments. At the time of their appointment, possession of a Teacher Eligibility Test qualification was not mandatory.

However, following the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, eligible in-service teachers are now required to acquire the prescribed TET qualification within the stipulated compliance period.

Supreme Court Directions on TET Qualification for In-Service Teachers

The Government Memo refers to the orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in Civil Appeal No. 1385 of 2025, dated 01-09-2025.

As per the judgment, in-service teachers recruited prior to the enactment of the Right to Education Act and having more than five years of service remaining before retirement, as on 01 September 2025, are required to qualify the Teacher Eligibility Test.

Consequently, teachers appointed prior to 2011 who were not required to possess TET qualification at the time of their recruitment have to acquire the qualification within the prescribed period.

TET Qualification Deadline Extended up to 31 August 2028

While disposing of the Review Petitions arising from Civil Appeal No. 1385 of 2025, the Hon’ble Supreme Court, through its order dated 29 May 2026, did not interfere with the requirement of acquiring the TET qualification.

However, considering the practical difficulties expressed by various States and stakeholders, the compliance period was extended to three years from 01 September 2025 to 31 August 2028.

Therefore, eligible in-service teachers must acquire the TET qualification on or before 31 August 2028.

TET Examinations May Be Conducted Periodically

The concerned authorities were directed to conduct Teacher Eligibility Test examinations periodically, preferably twice every year.

An approximate gap of six months between successive TET examinations may be maintained to provide sufficient opportunities to eligible teachers to acquire the mandatory qualification within the prescribed deadline.

Conducting Special TET examinations during the compliance period is expected to provide experienced in-service teachers with adequate opportunities to qualify without undue hardship.

MLCs Represented for Conducting Special TET

Several Members of the Legislative Council represented the Government and requested the conduct of a Special TET exclusively for teachers appointed prior to 2011.

The representation was submitted by the following MLCs:

• Dr. Vepada Chiranjeevi Rao
• Sri Alapati Rajendra Prasad
• Sri Kancharla Srikanth
• Sri Bhumireddy Ramgopal Reddy
• Sri Perabathula Rajasekhar

The representation dated 01 June 2026 requested the Government to conduct Special TET examinations in addition to the regular APTET examination.

Director of School Education Submitted Special TET Proposal

Following the representations and the directions relating to TET qualification, the Director of School Education, Andhra Pradesh, submitted a proposal to the Government through Lr.Rc.No.ESE02-35//2026-TET-CSE, dated 11-06-2026.

The proposal related to conducting a Special Teacher Eligibility Test for in-service teachers appointed prior to 2011.

After examining the proposal, the Andhra Pradesh Government accorded permission to the DSE to conduct the Special TET.

Special TET Will Be Conducted Along with Regular APTET

The Government has clarified that the Special TET is an additional examination for eligible in-service teachers.

The regular Andhra Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test will continue to be conducted as usual for:

• Teacher trainees
• Eligible teacher candidates
• In-service teachers

Therefore, permission for the Special TET does not replace or cancel the regular APTET examination.

Government Order on AP Special TET 2026

The Government, after careful examination, accorded permission to the Director of School Education to conduct the Special Teacher Eligibility Test exclusively for in-service teachers appointed prior to 2011.

The examination is intended to enable eligible teachers to obtain the TET qualification before 31 August 2028 and comply with the deadline stipulated by the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

The Director of School Education has been requested to take further necessary action in the matter.

Important Points for AP In-Service Teachers

• AP Government has permitted the conduct of a Special TET.
• The Special TET is exclusively intended for in-service teachers appointed prior to 2011.
• Eligible teachers must acquire TET qualification before 31 August 2028.
• The Special TET will be conducted in addition to the regular APTET.
• Regular APTET examinations will continue as usual.
• TET examinations may be conducted periodically to provide adequate opportunities.
• The Director of School Education will take further action regarding the Special TET.
• Detailed notification, examination dates, syllabus and application schedule are expected to be announced separately by the competent authorities.

AP Special TET 2026 Notification and Exam Date

At present, the Government has accorded permission to conduct the Special TET for eligible in-service teachers appointed before 2011.

The detailed AP Special TET 2026 notification, application dates, examination schedule, syllabus, eligibility guidelines and online application procedure are expected to be communicated separately by the School Education Department and the Director of School Education.

Teachers are advised to follow official departmental communications and visit APTeacher.net regularly for the latest AP Special TET and APTET updates.

Frequently Asked Questions – AP Special TET 2026

1. What is AP Special TET 2026?

AP Special TET is a proposed special Teacher Eligibility Test exclusively for eligible in-service teachers appointed prior to 2011 in Andhra Pradesh.

2. Who can appear for the AP Special TET?

As per the Government Memo, the Special TET is intended for in-service teachers appointed prior to 2011, subject to the detailed eligibility conditions to be notified by the competent authorities.

3. Has the AP Government permitted the Special TET?

Yes. The Andhra Pradesh Government has accorded permission to the Director of School Education to conduct the Special Teacher Eligibility Test.

4. What is the Government Memo number for AP Special TET?

The Memo number is 3303567/Services-1/A2/2026, dated 25-06-2026.

5. What is the last date to acquire the TET qualification?

Eligible in-service teachers are required to acquire the TET qualification before 31 August 2028.

6. Will regular APTET be conducted?

Yes. The regular APTET will continue to be conducted as usual for teacher trainees and eligible in-service teachers.

7. Is the AP Special TET exam date announced?

The Government Memo accords permission to conduct the Special TET. The detailed examination schedule and notification are to be issued separately by the competent authorities.

8. Where can teachers get AP Special TET 2026 updates?

Teachers can follow official School Education Department communications and visit APTeacher.net for AP Special TET, APTET and Andhra Pradesh teacher-related updates.

Conclusion

The Andhra Pradesh Government’s decision to permit a Special TET for in-service teachers appointed prior to 2011 is an important development for experienced teachers who need to acquire the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test qualification.

The Special TET is intended to provide eligible teachers with additional opportunities to obtain the required qualification before the 31 August 2028 deadline. Further details regarding the notification, examination dates, application process and syllabus are expected to be announced separately.

Teachers are advised to regularly check APTeacher.net for the latest AP Special TET 2026 and APTET updates.

• Download AP Special TET Memo PDF