Major Changes in Teacher Recruitment for Semi-English Medium Schools in Maharashtra!

The State School Education Department has taken a significant step to address the long-standing teacher shortage in Maharashtra's semi-English medium schools. Certain eligibility criteria for teacher recruitment via the 'Pavitra' portal have been relaxed for these schools. Under the newly revised guidelines, if teachers trained in the English medium are unavailable, other eligible candidates may be recruited, provided they meet specific conditions.

However, the Education Department has clarified that the mandatory educational qualifications and Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) requirements as stipulated by the RTE Act, 2009, and existing government guidelines will remain unchanged.

The School Education Department has issued new guidelines amending the Government Resolution dated January 20, 2026. Under the new rules, having completed professional teacher training in the English medium will no longer be the sole criterion for teacher recruitment in semi-English medium schools; other eligible candidates may also be considered in specific circumstances.

The Education Department has clearly said that the provisions of the RTE Act, 2009, will remain unchanged. The mandatory requirement to qualify for the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) will continue to apply, and there have been no alterations to the prescribed educational qualification norms for teachers at the primary level (Classes I to VIII).

In other words, a relaxation has been introduced regarding only one specific qualification standard; all other recruitment standards will remain exactly as they were before.

The revised guidelines prescribe separate rules for different levels: classes I to V, classes VI to VIII, and classes IX to X. The relevant rules must be followed for the recruitment of teachers at each level.

During recruitment, several factors beyond English language proficiency will be taken into consideration. These include the medium of instruction in which the candidate completed their schooling, the second language they studied, and the medium of instruction at the respective school (such as Marathi, Hindi, Urdu, Kannada, or another recognised language).

The Education Department expects that this approach will facilitate the selection of suitable teachers based on the specific requirements of the schools concerned.

For the recruitment of teachers at the primary level (Classes 1 to 5), candidates with professional teacher training in the English medium will continue to be given preference. However, if suitable candidates from reserved categories are not found, the vacancies will be re-advertised to provide an opportunity to other eligible applicants as well.

Following the re-publication of the notification, candidates who have not completed teacher training in the English medium will also be eligible for consideration, provided they possess one or more of the following qualifications: Higher Secondary (Science), BA or MA in English, BSc, or MSc. However, all other mandatory qualifications must still be met.

This change applies only to the requirement of completing professional teacher training in the English medium. All other educational qualifications, TET, and legal provisions will remain in force as before.