Education is a fundamental right for those aged between six and 14 years, but there has hardly been a coordinated effort to better the lot of teachers who teach these children.
For years, certain institutions which impart teacher training courses have failed to get the necessary recognition from the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). The future of those who graduate from such institutions, which are funded by the Central/ State government or Union Territory administration concerned, has been in jeopardy.
The NCTE (Amendment) Bill, 2017 focuses on teachers who have the Damocles sword hanging over their heads. The Amendment Bill, pending in Parliament, endeavours to make those studying in such institutions, or those who have graduated from such institutions, eligible for teachers’ jobs. The Bill was tabled by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Human Resource Development. It seeks to amend the provisions of the NCTE Act, 1993, which was enacted to provide for the establishment of a NCTE.
Section 14 of the 1993 Act provides that every institution offering a teacher education course has to obtain recognition from the Regional Committee. Section 15 says that any recognised institution that intends to start any new course or training in teacher education has to obtain permission from the Regional Committee concerned.
However, certain institutions failed to obtain recognition and permission from the Council, though they continued to admit students for teacher education and training courses.
The Bill introduces a one-time measure to grant retrospective recognition or permission to such institutions or courses, as the case may be, by suitably amending Sections 14 and 15 of the 1993 Act.
The amendments include granting retrospective recognition to institutions funded by the Central or State government or the Union Territory administration, and as may be notified by the Central government, which offered teacher education courses on or after the appointed day till the academic year 2017-2018. It proposes to amend Section 15 to grant retrospective permission to the new course or training in teacher education offered by the institutions, as may be notified by the Central government, on or after the appointed day till the academic year 2017-18.
