Ranchi: At a time when several ministers and political leaders are demanding the inclusion of Bhojpuri, Angika and Maghi languages in the Jharkhand Teacher Eligibility Test (JTET) through amendments to existing rules, the Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) on Tuesday opened its application portal under the current norms.JTET is conducted to determine the eligibility of candidates for appointment as teachers in the primary (classes 1 to 5) and upper primary (classes 6 to 8) levels.According to the council, the last date for submitting applications is May 21, and the minimum age limit is 21 years.As per the qualifying criteria, candidates from the general and economically weaker sections must secure 60% marks. Those from backward classes (BC-1 and BC-2) need 55%, while candidates belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), and persons with disabilities must obtain at least 52% to clear the exam.When the govt announces vacancies for the posts, they can appear in competitive examinations to be held for the posts concerned.Notably, the JTET is being conducted after a gap of 10 years.A JAC official, on the condition of anonymity, said, “The application portal is now live. We are proceeding with the existing rules. Any amendments will have to be decided by the state govt.”Congress ministers and RJD leaders have raised concerns over the removal of Bhojpuri, Maghi and Angika from the list of regional languages for the JTET. During a cabinet meeting held on April 15, finance minister Radha Krishana Kishore and rural development minister Deepika Pandey termed the decision unjustified, noting that these languages are widely spoken across 11 districts.Sources said that Bhojpuri, Angika and Maghi were part of the JTET until 2016, but were removed when new rules were framed in 2019.
