4-year integrated teacher education prog from next year

The much-awaited four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programmes (ITEPs) in science and humanities streams are set to be launched from next year.

Setting stage for its rollout, the national council for teacher education (NCTE) has called for applications from the central universities, state universities, degree colleges, and private universities for grant of approval to run the programmes from the academic session starting 2020.

The teacher education regulator had earlier planned to roll out the programmes—one to be offered to produce qualified teacher for pre-primary to primary level classes and the other for upper primary to secondary level classes—from this year.

The two courses, designed to inculcate “world's best practices” in the field of teacher education, seeks to produce “committed, responsible and professional” teachers to improve the quality and standards of school education.

“This is a specialised course with intrinsic integration of pedagogy and content, along with sustained engagement with liberal disciplines of knowledge and field of education. Opportunity for vertical mobility of teachers is also visualised through this programme,” the NCTE underlines.

According to NCTE regulations notified recently, candidates, who have received “formal education” from a duly recognised public, private and government-aided schools and have passed senior secondary/Class XII/ pre-university with at least 50% marks, are eligible to apply for admission.

According to revised regulations notified by the NCTE recently, candidates, who have received “formal education” from a duly recognised public, private and government-aided schools and have passed senior secondary/Class XII/ pre-university with at least 50% marks, are eligible to apply for admission.

Reservation in admission rules framed by the government will be applicable for the students belonging to other backward classes, scheduled castes, scheduled caste, and other categories.

On completion of the programme, students will get BA or B Sc degree as per their choice of stream at the time of admission besides a qualifying degree for a teaching job in schools.

The rollout of the ITEP, which will be of four academic years comprising eight semesters including internship, will be a prelude to the government's plan to “gradually” phase out the traditional BEd (Bachelor in Education) and other courses in teacher education in coming years.

“Any student-teacher who is unable to complete any semester or appear in any semester-end examination shall be permitted to complete the programme within a maximum period of six years from the date of admission to the programme,” the NCTE (Recognition, Norms and Procedure) Amendment Regulations, 2019 stipulates.

The minimum attendance of student-teachers enrolled in the programme “shall” have to be 80% in all courses and 90% for the field-based experience or school internship or teaching practice separately.

“Admission shall be made on merit basis, considering marks obtained at Senior Secondary or plus two level or equivalent examination or in an entrance examination, or any other selection process as per the policy of the University or State Government or Union Territory Administration,” the NCTE rules also provide.