The Human Resource Development (HRD) Union Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ on Monday in the winter session of Parliament said, as per the Right of Children to free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has been notified as an academic authority to lay down minimum qualifications for appointment as a teacher.
The minister was responding to a question asked by Pankaj Choudhary, MP (Member of Parliament) of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), regarding the Diploma in Elementary Education (D.IE.Ed) Examination by National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) to in-service untrained elementary teachers.
He said, “In 2017, the RTE Act, 2009 was amended to stretch the time limit for all in-service untrained elementary teachers to acquire the minimum qualification prescribed by NCTE, by 31st March 2019.”
“NIOS conducted 18 months D.IE.Ed course in-service untrained elementary teachers who had recognition from NCTE,” he added.
According to Section 23(1) of the RTE Act, has been notified as an academic authority to lay down minimum qualifications for appointment as a teacher,” he further said.
After HRD Ministry gave a chance to the teachers who have been teaching classes 1 to 8 two years to clear and become eligible, without proper training courses. More than 15 lakh teachers have enrolled for a training course by MHRD which included 10 lakh applicants from private schools across India.
In the first NIOS D.IE.Ed exam more than 12 lakh candidates appeared.