NCTE Revises Teacher Training Regulations
The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) is revising its draft regulations for teacher training institutes proposed in 2025. This move follows extensive consultations with the Ministry of Education, experts, and stakeholders. The draft aims to align teacher education with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The revision comes after a decade since the last update in 2014. The process remains ongoing, with final approval pending from the Ministry of Education and legal vetting by the Ministry of Law.
Background and Recent Developments
NCTE released draft regulations to overhaul norms for recognising teacher education institutions. The draft addresses the transition of existing programmes to new ones aligned with NEP 2020. Public feedback was sought, receiving 6,774 responses. The council approved the draft in March 2025 but has paused for further review and consultation. Notification in the Gazette of India is awaited.
Key Features of the Proposed Regulations
The draft introduces five specialised segments in teacher education. These include Foundation teachers for preschool to Grade 2, Preparatory teachers for Grades 3 to 5 with dual subject specialisation, Middle school teachers for Grades 6 to 8, and Secondary school teachers for Grades 9 and 10. The specialisations cover languages, maths, environmental sciences, arts, and physical education. The segmentation aims to standardise teacher roles but limits flexibility in deployment.
Challenges in Implementation
Experts express concerns over rigid specialisation and its impact on teacher deployment, especially in rural and remote areas. Private schools may find it difficult to employ narrowly specialised teachers. Teachers may feel restricted in career growth due to compartmentalisation and salary disparities. The regulations may not fully align with the current teacher labour market trends.
Demand-Supply Gap and Expert Committee
NCTE has set up an expert committee including members from the Ministry of Education, NITI Aayog, NIEPA, University of Delhi, and State Councils of Educational Research and Training. The committee will assess teacher demand and supply across regions, focusing on rural and tribal areas. A detailed report is expected within six months to guide future policy.
Transition Timeline and Institutional Requirements
Over 13,000 teacher training institutes must transform into multidisciplinary institutions by 2030. They are required to introduce Integrated Teacher Education Programmes (ITEP) combining B.A., B.Com, or B.Sc with B.Ed degrees. These changes demand new courses, faculty, infrastructure, and library facilities. Institutes have been granted an extension until 2026-27 to start the transition.
Derecognition and Quality Control Measures
In a recent appraisal, NCTE derecognised 2,224 institutes for non-compliance in submitting appraisal forms. The majority were from Southern, Western, and Northern regions. NCTE has moved to online inspections and monitoring, including GPS tracking and cross-verification of faculty PAN details. This aims to eliminate malpractices such as salary duplication and ensure adherence to standards.
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