GUWAHATI: The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has announced a proposal to revert the Bachelor of Education (BEd) and Master of Education (MEd) programs to a one-year format, effective from the academic session of 2026-27. This decision comes a decade after the programs were extended to two years.
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Under the draft policy, Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) will have the option to either continue offering the current two-year structure or adopt the new one-year format, provided they comply with updated guidelines. Additionally, the proposal introduces a mandatory standardised subject and aptitude test for admission to all BEd and MEd courses, to be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Further, the NCTE plans to launch four new Integrated Teacher Education Programs (ITEPs) in specialised fields such as Yoga, Physical Education, Sanskrit Education, and Art Education, starting in 2026-27. The draft also specifies revised infrastructure and faculty requirements for TEIs.
For eligibility, candidates for the one-year BEd program require a master's degree with a minimum of 50% marks or a four-year undergraduate degree in a specialised subject, also with a minimum of 50% marks. The two-year MEd program will remain available for in-service teachers and other educational functionaries.
These proposed regulations align with the recommendations outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP).
The NCTE has opened the draft policy for public feedback, with a deadline for submissions set for March 8.
Education Minister Ranoj Pegu has expressed support for the changes, calling them "good news for teacher education" in a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
