Cabinet approves National Council for Teacher Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017

The Union Cabinet has approved introduction of National Council for Teacher Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017 in Parliament to amend National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) Act, 1993.
The amendment seeks to grant retrospective recognition to Central/State/Universities who are found to be conducting teacher education courses without NCTE permission till academic year 2017-2018

Key Facts

The amendment will make students studying in these Institutions/Universities or those who have already passed out from here eligible for employment as teacher. The retrospective recognition is onetime measure to ensure that future of these students passed out and studying in these institutions are not jeopardized.
Henceforth, all institutions running teacher education courses such as B.Ed and D.El.Ed have to obtain recognition from NCTE under section 14 of NCTE Act. Further, courses of such recognised institutions/universities must be permitted under section 15 of  NCTE Act.

Background

The NCTE Act, 1993 enacted by Parliament aims to achieve planned and coordinated development of teacher education system, regulation and ensure proper maintenance of norms and standards in said system. It establishes NCTE to achieve these objectives. It has separate provisions for recognising teacher education courses and to lay down guidelines for compliance by recognized Institutions/Universities.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2017