Explanation
The National Council for Teacher Education, in its previous status since 1973, was an advisory body for the Central and State Governments on all matters pertaining to teacher education. The National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 and the Programme of Action thereunder, envisaged a National Council for Teacher Education with statutory status and necessary resources as a first step for overhauling the system of teacher education. The National Council for Teacher Education as a statutory body came into existence in pursuance of the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993 (No. 73 of 1993) enforced on the 1st July, 1995.
Objective
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 courses.
Functions
It shall be the duty of the Council to take all such steps as it may think fit for ensuring planned and co-ordinated development of teacher education and for the determination and maintenance of standards for teacher education and for the purposes of performing its functions under this Act, the Council may:
• undertake surveys and studies relating to various aspects of teacher education and publish the result thereof.
• make recommendations to the Central and State Government, Universities, University Grants Commission and recognized institutions in the matter of preparation of suitable plans and programmes in the field of teacher education.
• co-ordinate and monitor teacher education and its development in the country.
• lay down guidelines in respect of minimum qualifications for a person to be employed as a teacher in schools or in recognized institutions.
• lay down norms for any specified category of courses or trainings in teacher education, including the minimum eligibility criteria for admission thereof, and the method of selection of candidates, duration of the course, course contents and mode of curriculum.
• lay down guidelines for compliance by recognized institutions, for starting new courses or training, and for providing physical and instructional facilities, staffing pattern and staff qualification.
• lay down standards in respect of examinations leading to teacher education qualifications, criteria for admission to such examinations and schemes of courses or training.
• lay down guidelines regarding tuition fees and other fees chargeable by recognized institutions.
• promote and conduct innovation and research in various areas of teacher education and disseminate the results thereof.
• examine and review periodically the implementation of the norms, guidelines and standards laid down by the Council, and to suitably advise the recognized institution.
• evolve suitable performance appraisal system, norms and mechanism for enforcing accountability on recognized institutions.
• formulate schemes for various levels of teacher education and identify recognized institutions and set up new institutions for teacher development programmes.
• take all necessary steps to prevent commercialization of teacher education, and perform such other functions as may be entrusted to it by the Central Government.
