The Ministry of Education extended the validity of the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) from seven years to a lifetime. This step, along with the emphasis on National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST), promises a brighter future for school teachers.

Reduced efforts

Pankaj Arora, dean (student welfare), University of Delhi (DU), says, “CTET had been introduced as a measure to deal with colleges providing BEd degrees with minimal efforts from the candidates’ end. Thus, students who wished to become school teachers were required to appear for the CTET every seven years. This was done to ensure that teachers would remain updated with required skill sets.”

However, with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 introducing the NPST, certain changes have been implemented, adds the professor of Education.

Way forward

Seema Dhawan, professor, HNB Garhwal Central University, Srinagar, Uttarakhand, tells that going forward, CTET will be deemed as an entrance test for candidates who wish to become teachers. “Once the candidates’ skill sets have been gauged through the CTET, there is no need to conduct it again,” she says.

JN Baliya, head of department, Education Studies and Mass Communication & New Media, Central University of Jammu (CUJ), says that in place of CTET, now NPST will help ensure that schoolteachers remain updated with latest teaching methodologies. “Over the past couple of months, around nine open house discussions have taken place with regard to the exact framework of NPST,” he tells.

NEP has divided school education into four categories, including foundational, preparatory, middle, and secondary school. As per NPST, at each school level, teachers will also be divided into four categories, including beginners, proficient, expert, and lead. “To move from one level to the next, teachers will be judged based on various parameters,” tells Baliya.

Still a concern


Dhawan says that while NPST is a roadmap for schoolteachers getting expertise in their chosen level of teaching, a matter of concern has been left unaddressed.

“Post the CTET, candidates can be appointed as a school teacher at any of the four levels of schooling depending on their skill sets,” she tells. However, there is no roadmap for teachers to get a promotion from one level of schooling to the next, she adds. “This needs to be addressed at the earliest,” says Dhawan.

Future beckons


Arora says that with a centralised entrance exam for the profession of school teaching, the stigma attached to this field stands to be lifted. “Now, candidates need not worry that despite their efforts and upgradation of skills, they may be left jobless or may not get promotions due to a flawed system. With CTET being deemed as a common entry exam into the field, everybody is on the same platform where only skills and expertise will help them move forward,” he tells.

Baliya adds that with promotions no longer a time-bound activity, the popularity and preference of deserving candidates towards the field of school teaching stands to increase. “The overall education system will benefit from this step,” he tells.

Suggestions made at every open house are being collated and submitted to the Ministry. “The final decision should be taken and implemented from the next academic session,” tells Baliya.