Lok Sabha Question No. 2334 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-15
Subject: Teacher Capacity Building Programme
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Ramasahayam Raghuram Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO:- 2334

ANSWERED ON-15/12/2025

## Teacher Capacity Building Programme

## 2334. Shri Ramasahayam Raghuram Reddy:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the extent to which the introduction of teacher capacity building programmes such as National Initiative for School Heads' and Teachers' Holistic  Advancement (NISHTHA), impacted the education sector in the country;

(b) the extent to which the implementation of digital teaching aids like Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) help in improving pedagogical techniques; and

(c) the details of collaboration with State Governments,  educational  institutions  and international  bodies  to  modernize  the  teaching  and  training  curriculum  for  middle  school teachers?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a) & (b): The Department of School Education and Literacy has launched a National Mission to  improve  learning  outcomes  through  an  Integrated  Teacher  Training  Programme  called NISHTHA - National Initiative for School Heads' and Teachers' Holistic Advancement under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha. NISHTHA online was launched using DIKSHA platform in October, 2020, which offers structured digital courses comprising videos, reading material, reflective activities and self-assessment tools, including modules related to the  use  of  ICT  in  teaching,  learning  and  assessment.  The  platform  supports  teachers  in improving pedagogical techniques through access to on-demand digital content, lesson plans, interactive materials and dashboards. NISHTHA training has been extended to secondary stage teachers in 2021-22. NISHTHA also caters to Foundational Literacy and Numeracy and Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) for training of master trainers. Till date, cumulatively over 63 lakh teachers and school heads across all States/UTs and central organisations have undergone Continuous Professional Development through NISHTHA.

Under  PM  e-VIDYA  programme,  which  unifies  all  efforts  related  to  digital/online/on-air education  to  enable  multi-mode  access  to  education,  Digital  Infrastructure  for  Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) was launched in 2017 for providing quality e-content for school education in States/UTs along with QR coded Energised Textbooks (ETBs) for all grades (One Nation, One Digital platform). For teachers, DIKSHA contains lesson plans, worksheets and activities, to create enjoyable classroom experiences. Teachers have access to interactive and engaging teaching materials; can share best practices with other teachers to explain difficult concepts to students; join courses to further professional development, etc.

(c): Strengthening of teacher training/education programmes of States/UTs is supported under the centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra Shiksha in alignment with the recommendations of the  National  Education  Policy  (NEP),  2020.  These  include  strengthening  of  physical infrastructure in Teacher  Education  Institutions (TEIs); support to State Councils  of Educational Research and Trainings (SCERTs) so that they can effectively and efficiently carry out quality teacher education, research and develop state-specific curriculum framework, as a follow up to the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF SE); capacity building  of  District  Institute  of  Education  and  Training  (DIET)  functionaries;  continuous academic support to schools through BRC/CRC etc.

Financial provision is also provided under this scheme as per state specific proposals for inservice training of teachers, school Heads, subject teachers, resource persons, master trainers, Education  Administrators,  Teachers  Educators,  key  resource  persons,  induction  training  of newly recruited teachers including those in rural and remote areas at elementary and secondary levels through SCERTs and DIETs, as the nodal agencies.

The Government has decided to develop all functional District  Institutes of Education  and Training (DIETs) into Centers of Excellence under the centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra Shiksha  in  a  phased  manner  starting  from  FY  2023-24.  Based  on  proposals  submitted  by States/UTs, so far the Government has approved upgradation of 125 DIETs for the FY 202324 and upgradation of 121 DIETs for the FY 2025-26.

Further,  in  terms  of  NEP,  2020,  the  Government  has  released  a  Guiding  Document  on  the National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) and Bluebook on the National Mission for Mentoring (NMM). NPST defines competencies of teachers at different stages/levels. The Bluebook  on  NMM  contains  the  various  modalities  for  mentoring  of  schoolteachers  for enhancing their capacity building.

In terms of recommendations of NEP 2020, NCTE has notified ITEP, a 4-year integrated dual major bachelor degree in Education as well as a specialized subject in arts, science, physical education etc. The aim is to develop passionate, motivated, qualified, professionally trained, and well-prepared teachers. Admission for the ITEP is carried out by the National Testing Agency (NTA) through the National Common Entrance Test (NCET), which was last held on 29th April, 2025.

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