The Government decided to amend the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993 and the bill was tabled in the Monsoon session (2018) but did not see the light of day due to it being not passed by both the houses. In January 2019, it received the assent of the President.

National Council for Teacher Education was set up in 1973, with the aim of ensuring planned and co-ordinated development of teacher education and for the determination and maintenance of standards for teacher education in India. The body is under the Department of Higher Education (Ministry of Human Resource and Development).

The mandate given to the organization is very broad and covers the following teacher education programmes such as-

1. research and training of persons for equipping them to teach at pre-primary, primary, secondary and senior secondary stages in schools
2. non-formal education
3. part-time education
4. adult education and
5. distance (correspondence) education courses

Key Provisions-

• Establishment - National Council for Teacher Education was established in 1973, and was an advisory body for the Central and State Governments on all matters pertaining to teacher education, with its Secretariat in the Department of Teacher Education of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) till 1993.
• Statute - In 1993, The National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993 established the National Council for Teacher Education as a statutory body under the Department of Higher Education (Ministry of Human Resource and Development).
• Object - The main object of giving it statutory recognition was that despite its commendable work in the academic fields, it was observed that it could not perform essential regulatory functions and it also could not ensure maintenance of standards in teacher education and preventing proliferation of substandard teacher education institutions.

(Fact for prelims- The Head office of the Council is at Delhi and four regional offices at Jaipur, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar and Bhopal (Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and other members who are to be appointed by the Central Government, and hold the post for 4 years or up to 60 years, whichever is earlier))

Function - The Council is entrusted with the task of-

• Undertaking surveys and studies pertaining to all aspects of the teacher education
• Preparation of suitable plans and programmes regarding the field of teacher education.
• Coordinating and monitoring the teacher education system throughout the country.
• Laying down the guideline for the minimum qualifications need for an individual to be a teacher in schools and recognised institutions and for the provision of physical and infrastructural facilities, staffing pattern etc. of the recognised institutions.
• Laying down standards with respect to examinations, the major criteria for such admission as well as schemes for courses or training.
• Conducting research and innovation in schools and recognised institutions.
• Identifying the recognised institutions and courses and also set up new institutions for the developmental programmes of teacher education system.
• Taking up necessary steps for the prevention of the commercialisation of teacher education

The 2018 Amendment has two main provisions-

1. The act grants retrospective recognition of certain teacher educational institutions which are notified by the Central Government and funded by Central/State Governments, but had not been granted recognition by the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993.
2. The Act grants retrospective permission to these educational institutions to start new course or training.

Key Constitutional Provisions regarding Education-

• Article 45 - Directive Principles of State Policy (free and compulsory Education for all children until they complete the age of fourteen years)
• Article 21A - Right to education a “Fundamental right” for children aged 6–14 years.
• Article 51A - Fundamental Duties provides opportunities of education child/ward (6–14 years).
• Article 350-A - It mentions the duty of the state to provide facilities for instruction in mother tongue at primary level of education to linguistic minority children.

Objects/Purpose-

The Amendment is aimed to grant retrospective recognition to Central and State institutions which had conducted teacher education courses without approval by the Council. This will ensure that the future of students having degrees from such institutions is secured.