Five-Year RET Service Not to Count Toward Seniority, Rules Supreme Court

SRINAGAR: The Supreme Court has dismissed the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by Rehbar-e-Taleem (RET) teachers of Jammu and Kashmir, thereby upholding the Jammu and Kashmir High Court’s ruling that their initial five years of service cannot be counted for seniority purposes.

The Division Bench of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, comprising Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice Sanjay Parihar, had on May 23, 2025, clarified that the period of engagement under the RET scheme does not constitute regular service and therefore cannot be considered while fixing seniority.

Following the verdict, the RET teachers approached the Supreme Court seeking relief. However, the apex court dismissed their petition, effectively maintaining the High Court’s position.

The Jammu and Kashmir General Line Teachers’ Forum has welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, calling it a “major legal victory” for regular teachers. Forum President Anwar Hussain Wani and Chief Spokesperson Ghulam Qadir Jeelani expressed gratitude to the teaching community for their support, stating that the judgment reinforces the principles of fairness and service regularisation.