Cabinet approves amendment to NCTE Act

Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: With an aim to grant retrospective recognition to Central and State universities, who are providing teacher education courses without an approval of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), the Union Cabinet today okayed a proposal to amend the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993.

As per an official statement released by the Centre, the amendment bill named National Council for Teacher Education (Amendment) Act, 2017, will facilitate a grant of recognition to Central, State or Union territory funded institutions or universities, which have been operating till the academic year 2017-18 without an approval from the NCTE.

The official statement added retrospective recognition will be given as a one-time measure to the institutes to ensure future of those who passed out or enrolled is not at risk.

The Union Cabinet approved the amendment proposal moved by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of HRD.

Non-recognised institutions or universities running teacher education courses, B.Ed. and D.El.Ed must obtain recognition from the NCTE under section 14 of the NCTE Act. Besides, the courses of such recognised institutions and universities should get an approval under section 15 of the NCTE Act.

The NCTE reportedly wrote to all Central and State Universities along with District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) regarding legal provisions making it mandatory to seek prior permission ahead of starting any Teacher Education Courses.