Lok Sabha Question No. 120 (STARRED), answered on 2016-07-25
Subject: Entrance Test for B.Ed. Course
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: PANKAJ CHOWDHARY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO. 120

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2016

Entrance Test for B.Ed. Course

## †*120 SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- ( a) whether the Siddiqui Committee has recommended only one entrance examination for Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) course and if so, the details thereof along with the other major recommendations of the Committee;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to hold only one entrance examination for B.Ed. course throughout the country and if so, the details thereof and the time by which it is likely to be implemented; and
- (c) the other follow-up action taken on recommendations made by the Committee?

## A N S W E R

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

- (a) to (c): A statement is laid on the table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (C) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 120  FOR  REPLY  ON  25.07.2016  ASKED  BY SHRI  PANKAJ  CHAUDHARY  REGARDING  ENTRANCE  TEST  FOR  B.ED. COURSE

(a) to (c):-The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) mandated with planned and coordinated development  of  teacher  education  in  the  country.  The  Ministry  had  constituted  a  Review Committee  in October, 2015 under the Chairpersonship of Prof. M.A.Siddiqui, for conducting  a  comprehensive  review  of  the  functioning  of  NCTE  and  for  addressing  the challenges in the teacher education sector.

The  Review  Committee  has  recommended  that  NCTE  may  conduct  a  National  Entrance Examination for Teacher Education for admission to Teacher Education Programmes with a provision for stipend for meritorious candidates.

The other recommendations of the Committee include setting up of one Government Teacher Education Institute (TEI) in every District and two Teacher Education Universities in every State;  organizational restructuring of NCTE, National level Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), reverting  M.Ed  program  to  one  year  duration  and  restoring  recognition  of  M.Ed.  in  Open Distance Learning (ODL) mode, development of effective scheme of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) & In-service  Education of Teachers (INSET).  The report of the Committee is under examination.

****

## THE  LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.120  FOR  REPLY  ON  25.07.2016 ASKED BY SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY REGARDING ENTRANCE TEST FOR B.ED. COURSES

## EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

## 1. Thrust of the question

The  thrust  of  the  question  is  about  the  recommendation  of  Siddiqui  Committee  on National Entrance Examination for Teacher Education for admission to Teacher Education Programmes.

## 2. Reply to the question

National  Council  for  Teacher  Education  (NCTE)  as  a  statutory  body  came  into existence in pursuance of the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993 (No.73 of 1993 on the 17 th August, 1995).  In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 20 (1) of the  NCTE Act, the National Council for Teacher Education had established four Regional Committees at Jaipur, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar and Bhopal covering the territorial jurisdiction of the Northern, Southern, Eastern (and North-Eastern) and Western Regions of the  Country  respectively.  The  main  objective  of  the  NCTE  is  to  achieve  planned  and coordinated  development  of  the  teacher  education  system  throughout  the  country,  the regulation and proper maintenance of Norms and Standards in the teacher education system and  for  matters  connected  therewith.  The  mandate  given  to  the  NCTE  is  very  broad  and covers the whole gamut of teacher education programmes including research and training of persons for equipping them to teach at pre-primary, primary, secondary and senior secondary stages  in  schools,  and  non-formal  education,  part-time  education,  adult  education  and distance (correspondence) education course.

NCTE has developed guidelines for conducting CTET (at central level) and Teacher Eligibility  Test  (at  State/UT  levels)  at  elementary  level  of  education.    Accordingly,  an aspirant  to  be  a  teacher  has  to  clear  TET  as  an  essential  eligibility  criterion.    The  Central Government  vide  letter  dated  5.2.2015  constituted    a  committee  to  analyze  the  TET

guidelines provided by the NCTE to the States on the test papers and suggest improvement / modifications,  to  make  specific  recommendations  for  improving  the  quality  of  questions. Since the Committee has submitted its report which is under examination.

In response to emerging requirements, the Council from time to time formulates and notifies  rules  and  regulations  and  issues  guidelines  to  be  followed  by  institutions.  NCTE Regulations  2014  is  the  latest  attempt  in  that  direction.  Accordingly,  the  functioning  of NCTE has  been  reviewed  by  various  Committees  in  the  past  to  effectively  deal  with  the issues in regulating Teacher Education and to handle new challenges thrown up by the fast changing  scenario  in  the  field  of  education.    Considering  that  at  the  level  of  the  Central Government,  the  last  such  review  of  NCTE  was  undertaken  in  2002,  it  was  decided,  to undertake a comprehensive review of the functioning of the NCTE under the Chairmanship of Prof. M.A. Siddiqui, Ex-Chairman, National Council for Teacher Education. Report of the committee is under examination in this Ministry.

## THE  LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.120  FOR  REPLY  ON  25.07.2016 ASKED BY SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY REGARDING ENTRANCE TEST FOR B.ED. COURSES

## Note for Supplementary

## 1. Thrust of the question

The  thrust  of  the  question  is  about  the  recommendation  of  Siddiqui  Committee  on National Entrance Examination for Teacher Education for admission to Teacher Education Programmes.

## 2. Reply to the question

National  Council  for  Teacher  Education  (NCTE)  as  a  statutory  body  came  into existence in pursuance of the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993 (No.73 of 1993 on the 17 th August, 1995).  In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 20 (1) of the  NCTE Act, the National Council for Teacher Education had established four Regional Committees at Jaipur, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar and Bhopal covering the territorial jurisdiction of the Northern, Southern, Eastern (and North-Eastern) and Western Regions of the  Country  respectively.  The  main  objective  of  the  NCTE  is  to  achieve  planned  and coordinated  development  of  the  teacher  education  system  throughout  the  country,  the regulation and proper maintenance of Norms and Standards in the teacher education system and  for  matters  connected  therewith.  The  mandate  given  to  the  NCTE  is  very  broad  and covers the whole gamut of teacher education programmes including research and training of persons for equipping them to teach at pre-primary, primary, secondary and senior secondary stages  in  schools,  and  non-formal  education,  part-time  education,  adult  education  and distance (correspondence) education course.

NCTE has developed guidelines for conducting CTET (at central level) and Teacher Eligibility  Test  (at  State/UT  levels)  at  elementary  level  of  education.    Accordingly,  an aspirant  to  be  a  teacher  has  to  clear  TET  as  an  essential  eligibility  criterion.    The  Central Government  vide  letter  dated  5.2.2015  constituted    a  committee  to  analyze  the  TET guidelines provided by the NCTE to the States on the test papers and suggest improvement / modifications,  to  make  specific  recommendations  for  improving  the  quality  of  questions. Since the Committee has submitted its report which is under examination.

In response to emerging requirements, the Council from time to time formulates and notifies  rules  and  regulations  and  issues  guidelines  to  be  followed  by  institutions.  NCTE Regulations  2014  is  the  latest  attempt  in  that  direction.  Accordingly,  the  functioning  of NCTE has  been  reviewed  by  various  Committees  in  the  past  to  effectively  deal  with  the issues in regulating Teacher Education and to handle new challenges thrown up by the fast changing  scenario  in  the  field  of  education.    Considering  that  at  the  level  of  the  Central Government,  the  last  such  review  of  NCTE  was  undertaken  in  2002,  it  was  decided,  to undertake a comprehensive review of the functioning of the NCTE under the Chairmanship of Prof. M.A. Siddiqui, Ex-Chairman, National Council for Teacher Education. Report of the committee is under examination

## Conclusions and Recommendations of the NCTE Review Committee April, 2016

## i) Planned and coordinated development of teacher education

-  In order to ensure planned and coordinated development of teacher education system and  curb  mushrooming  of  Teacher  Education  Institutes  (TEIs)  in  the  States,  the NCTE  must  invite  applications  and  process  them  for  new  Teacher  Education Programmes ( TEPs) /TEIs in the light of the findings of the detailed Demand Supply study conducted by the Council and published in 2009-10 (to be updated after every 10  years)  and  should  grant  recognition  to  new  TEPs  or  additional  units  in  existing approved TEPs only in the deficient states.

## ii) Regulations 2014 and academic matters

-  There must be no contradiction between the Act and the Regulations.
-  There  are  several  areas  in  the  2014  Regulations  which  give  room  for  doubt  and unclear interpretations. Sharing of faculty and resources in an integrated TEP situation and faculty requirement for more than two units should be clearly spelled out in the Regulations.
-  The regulations regarding land area, faculty qualifications, faculty, requirements, unit strength  and  several  other  infrastructural  requirements  have  kept  on  changing  on  a wide range of different scales. Such volatility needs to be stopped at one stage or the other in order to ensure credibility of the organization.
-  Some regulations are neither pragmatic nor operationally feasible like the provision of Professors position in colleges needs to be made realistic.
-  The Regulation is trying to usher in a big basket of 15 programmes with proliferated nomenclatures  may  lead  to  problems  of  equivalence/mobility,  both  horizontal  and vertical.  A  common  short  listing  of  nomenclatures  of  just  three  levels  of  TEPs namely, D.Ed., B.Ed., and M.Ed.  (giving the branches/ fields/ levels within parentheses) is recommended.

-  The Regulation should come out with clear specifications in the actual conduct of four year  integrated  B.Ed.  programme  particularly  in  a  multi-faculty  composite  college environment.
-  The  20  week  school  internship  at  a  stretch  may  encounter  too  serious  operational difficulties to make it workable. Therefore, the school internship can be split into two or three spells (six/seven week duration each) and also supplemented with internship in private schools.
-  Among the two year B.Ed. and two year M.Ed., the two year duration for M.Ed. is resisted  strongly  as  could  be  found  from  the  stakeholder's  perception.  Thus,  the duration  of  M.Ed./M.P.Ed.  programme  be  restored  to  one  academic  year  and  the earlier unit size of M.Ed. programme of 35 seats is retained.

## iii) Open Distance Learning (ODL) mode

-  Due  space  be  provided  for  quality  enriched  ODL  segment  for  training  of  the considerable number of untrained teachers in the country.
-  Well-structured and rigorous ODL courses may be launched for continuing education of trained school teachers for their career advancement.
-  The stand taken in Regulations 2014 on the role of ODL in TEPs with regard to M.Ed. (can  be  only  through  face  to  face  mode)  needs  to  be  reviewed.  M.Ed.  should  be offered through ODL mode also for in-service teachers.
-  M.Ed. through ODL to be completed in two years and the same logic should apply to B.Ed. if it is offered through ODL.

## iv) Teacher Education Universities

-  At least two teacher education universities in every state (one affiliating universities and  the  other  unitary  university)  be  established  in  order  to  provide  academic leadership and as centers of excellence in teacher education.

##  One Govt. TEI in every district

-  At least one Govt. TEI in every district (wherever there is none in the Govt. sector must  be  given  top  priority)  must  be  established,  preferably  as  a  comprehensive College of Teacher Education (CCTE).

## v) Student assessment of TEI

-  A scientific, online, 'exit assessment' of TEIs and their faculty by the outgoing batch of students and their parents be initiated and made mandatory.

## vi) Advisory Board on Teacher Education (ABTE)

-  An apex Advisory Board on Teacher Education (ABTE) (to be convened by NCTE at least  once in a year), consisting of members from UGC, NCTE, NCERT, SCERTs, NIOS, Teacher Education Universities be constituted to recommend on general policy

directions and to play the role of consultative body to deliberate on inter-departmental issues.

## vii) Accreditations

-  An exclusive Accreditation-cum R&D Cell be created in the NAAC to arrange to get TEIs accredited and serve as pro-active research cell to advise on quality issues and quality enhancing best practices to the TEIs.
-  In addition to NAAC, an exclusive programme accreditation body on the pattern of national Board of Accreditation (NBA) be established for accreditation of TEPs and Teacher Educators.

## viii) National Entrance Examination for Teacher Education (NEETE)

-  NEETE for admission to TEPs be conducted by the NCTE; the candidates with more than 50% cutoff only to be considered for admission; notwithstanding the number of seats available, the minimum cutoff will not be relaxed.
-  The top 2000 candidates in NEETE be given a stipend of not less than Rs. 5,000/- per month by the Central Govt., and these toppers after further screening for their aptitude for  teaching profession, would be admitted to five year integrated programme, with assured postings as teachers immediately after their course completion.

## ix) Teacher certification and renewal

-  Teacher  Eligibility  Test  (TET)  would  be  nationally  conducted  for  screening  the competent teachers. TET to be made mandatory and to be taken for certification and licensing of teachers and to be renewed every five years for continuance of a teacher in the profession.

## x) Continuing  Professional  Development  (CPD)  and  In-service  Education  of Teachers (INSET)

-  An Expert Committee to be appointed to formulate an effective scheme of CPD and INSET. In this regard, the available institutional structures of the BRCs must be fully utilized  and  these  centers  may  be  renamed  as  Block  Resource  and  Professional Development Centers (BRPDCs).

## xi) Teacher up-gradation through secondment

-  The senior teachers of schools be periodically deputed to the TEIs and vice-versa, so that there shall be a two-way academic refreshing. This scheme of 'secondment' may involve allocation of necessary funds to make the scheme operational on a continuous basis,  fixing  a  minimal  number  of  deputations  among  school  teachers  and  teacher educators per annum.

## xii) Pro-active developmental role of NCTE

-  The developmental  role  of  NCTE  should  include  institution  of  at  least  20  National Professorships  serving  as  nodal  consultants  and  disseminators  of  cutting  edge  TE expertise; sanction of research grants; compilation and dissemination of best practices; curriculum development and evaluation; among others.

## xiii) A trajectory conveniently forgotten- Faculty quality and salary; optimal number of institutions; and fee structure

-  Regulate  the  number  of  institutions  at  an  optimal  level,  and  not  getting  them overcrowded leading to unhealthy competition.
-  Get a 'reasonable fee structure' fixed through a state machinery accommodating all the essential components of efficient running cost.
-  Timely  recruitment  of  qualified  faculty  and  a  separate  cadre  for  the  faculty  to  be engaged for teaching in D.El.Ed. programmes.
-  The  Regulatory  body  and  the  Govt.  should  ensure  prompt  payment  of  UGC/State Govt. prescribed salary by evolving a fool proof mechanism, and pay equal attention to recruitment of qualified faculty as per norms.

## xiv) Assessment of teacher performance

-  A  committee  of  academic  experts  and  educationists  be  appointed  to  formulate  the methodology  of  assessment  of  performance  of  teachers,  quality  parameters,  and quality  benchmarks,  possible  scheme  of  linking  performance  quality  with  incentive mechanism, among other related issues.