Supreme Court Ruling (August 2023):
The Supreme Court upheld the Rajasthan High Court's decision, stating that the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) degree is not suitable for primary school teaching.
Instead, the court ruled that the Diploma in Education (DEd), Diploma in Elementary Education (DElEd), or Bachelor of Elementary Education (BElEd) are the appropriate qualifications for primary school teaching.
This decision nullified an earlier notification by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) that accepted the BEd degree.
Importance of Appropriate Qualification
Primary teaching requires specific skills (FLN, engaging young learners).
BEd focuses on middle/high school, not suitable for foundational competencies.
Need for specialized teacher education for primary stage.
Current Situation:
90% of teachers have professional qualification, but only 46% in primary have DElEd.
30% of primary teachers in private schools have BEd, 17% lack qualification.
Even elite government schools have only 24% DEd qualified teachers in primary.
Anomalies in the System:
Private unaided sectors have lower proportions of DElEd qualified teachers compared to government and aided sectors.
Elite English medium schools have relatively fewer DElEd qualified teachers and more BEd degree holders.
Implications of Supreme Court Ruling:
Anomalies in teacher qualifications need to be corrected following the Supreme Court ruling.
Greater attention is needed to increase the supply of high-quality DEd/DElEd/BElEd programs.
Quality of Teacher Education Programs:
Government-funded institutions perform better in teacher education compared to the self-financed sector.
Attention is needed to ensure higher quality and pedagogical content knowledge of candidates, especially in mathematics.
Need for Government Support:
There is an urgent need to strengthen government support and innovation in the teacher education sector.
Innovative programs should provide pathways for BEd holders to gain certification for primary teaching without re-enrolling for the entire program.
Initiatives and Recommendations:
Recent Ministry of Education initiatives to strengthen District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) are welcomed.
Comprehensive government support and incentives are needed to strengthen primary/preparatory stage teacher education.
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