NCTE forms two expert panels to amend teacher recruitment rules; ITEP graduates may qualify for CTET, STET

The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has constituted two expert committees to review teacher recruitment rules and eligibility guidelines for the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) and State Teacher Eligibility Tests (STET). The proposed amendments aim to include graduates of the four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) in the eligibility criteria for school teaching jobs.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, the committees will review the existing regulations and recommend changes to recognise ITEP as an additional qualification for teacher recruitment and eligibility examinations.

The move comes ahead of the first batch of ITEP students completing the programme in 2027. Although NCTE recognises ITEP as a teacher education programme, the existing recruitment regulations and TET guidelines do not explicitly list it as a qualifying degree.

The first batch of students is expected to graduate in May-June 2027, by which time the amendments are expected to be notified. The official also clarified that ITEP graduates will not be eligible to apply for the covered teaching posts or appear for CTET and STET on the basis of the degree until the changes are formally notified, according to the report.

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NCTE committee to review teacher recruitment rules

According to Hindustan Times, the first expert committee was constituted through an NCTE office order dated October 8. It is chaired by former IAS officer Prof Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi.

The 12-member committee will review the NCTE's 2014 regulations governing the minimum qualifications required for school teacher recruitment. It has been asked to prepare a draft amendment to include ITEP as a minimum qualification for teaching posts and submit it to the NCTE chairperson within 30 days of the order.

The panel includes representatives from the Union Ministry of Education's Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), the Rehabilitation Council of India and Haryana's State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT). Academics from Delhi University are also part of the committee.

The October 8 order, as quoted in the Hindustan Times report, highlighted an “urgent need” to include ITEP in the recruitment regulations to “ensure that the qualifications prescribed for recruitment of teachers remain aligned with the teacher education programmes recognised by the NCTE”.

Second NCTE panel to review CTET, STET eligibility

The second expert committee was constituted through an order dated October 12 and is chaired by retired Delhi University professor Chand Kiran Saluja, Hindustan Times reported.

The 10-member panel will review the existing CTET and STET guidelines and recommend changes to allow ITEP graduates to appear for these examinations. Its mandate covers the relevant teaching levels, including primary and upper-primary classes.

The committee includes representatives from the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), DoSEL, CBSE, KVS and NVS, along with academics from Delhi University.

According to the report, the panel was asked to submit its recommendations and proposed amendments to the NCTE by October 31, 2026. It will examine how ITEP can be included as an eligibility pathway and how the existing provisions can be aligned with the new programme.

Both committees have also been authorised to consult subject experts and representatives of ministries, regulatory bodies, examination agencies, higher education institutions, school boards, states and Union territories.

About the ITEP programme

The Integrated Teacher Education Programme is a four-year integrated teacher training degree offered after Class 12. It was launched in the 2023-24 academic session in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The programme aims to prepare teachers for different stages of school education under the 5+3+3+4 curricular structure. It combines subject-based education with professional teacher training.

Unlike the conventional route, in which students complete an undergraduate degree followed by a two-year Bachelor of Education (B.Ed), ITEP allows students to pursue an integrated teaching degree directly after Class 12.

NEP 2020 envisages a four-year integrated teaching degree becoming the minimum qualification for school teachers by 2030. However, the proposed amendments will add ITEP to the existing list of recognised qualifications rather than replace courses such as D.El.Ed, B.Ed and B.El.Ed.

According to the NCTE's October 12 order cited by Hindustan Times, 409 higher education institutions have been recognised to offer ITEP, with a combined intake capacity of 38,850 students across 777 units.

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Existing CTET, STET eligibility qualifications

At present, CTET and STET eligibility rules prescribe different educational qualifications for candidates seeking teaching jobs for Classes 1 to 5 and Classes 6 to 8.

These include:

• Two-year Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed).
• Four-year Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed).
• Bachelor of Education (B.Ed).
• Four-year integrated B.A.Ed and B.Sc.Ed programmes.

Candidates must also qualify for the relevant Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) and fulfil other conditions prescribed by the respective recruiting authorities.

The proposed amendments are expected to bring ITEP graduates within the existing eligibility framework while retaining other recognised teacher education qualifications.