NCTE to relaunch 1-year B.Ed, M.Ed with NTA-run admission test; drafts rules on syllabus

NEW DELHI: The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) is reintroducing the one-year Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) and Master of Education (M.Ed) degrees. If its draft policy is approved, institutions will also be allowed to transition existing two-year B.Ed and M.Ed (full-time) programmes

The teacher education regulatory body has published draft regulations for these programmes for public comment.

In case of the one-year-B.Ed, the two semesters will include school internship, field-based experiences and practice teaching along with academics. The one-year-M.Ed includes research dissertation with instructions that the summer should be used for field attachment and practicum – the practical section of the curriculum – and other activities.

Both programmes had been changed into two-year programmes with new regulations in 2014; now, the council is reversing that change.

The norms propose that the National Testing Agency (NTA) conduct a standardised subject and aptitude test for admission to the one-year B.Ed, M.Ed as well as their existing two-year and part-time versions. However, there is no clarity on whether there will be a separate test like the NCET in case of the four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) or be part of Common University Entrance Test (CUET) UG and PG.

The NCTE released the Draft NCTE (Recognition Norms and Procedure) Regulations, 2025, along with the norms and starts for nine other teacher education programmes late at night on Thursday. The nine teacher education programmes include the four new specialisations of ITEP – art education, yoga, physical education and Sanskrit. The draft is open for public feedback till March 8.

B.Ed syllabus, subjects

Under the new norms, candidates with a master's degree with at least 50% marks or those with a four-year UG degree in a specialised subject with at least 50% marks will be eligible for admission to one-year B.Ed course.

On its duration, the norms state, “It shall be of one academic year, comprising two semesters, including school internship (field-based experiences and practice teaching). Any student-teacher who is unable to complete any semester or appear for any semester–end examination, shall be permitted to complete the programme within a maximum period of two years.”

The one-year programme will also allow for stage-specific specialisation – foundational, preparatory, middle, secondary – as per the organisation of schooling after the National Education Policy 2020. Those who complete the course will also be eligible for Master in Education (M.Ed).

The course can be offered by higher education institutions offering the ITEP programme – BA B.Ed, BSc B.Ed or BCom B.Ed.

The existing stand-alone teacher training colleges offering B.Ed and interested in transitioning to the one-year version will be eligible to apply for permission. However, there’s a rider – they must also transform into multidisciplinary higher education institutions by 2028 and run ITEP by 2030.

All institutions running the two year B.Ed will have to adopt the new curriculum. This will mean introducing stage specific specialisation as per the new school structure of 5+3+3+4.

The one-year courses had existed before. But following the recommendations of the Justice Verma Commission (JVC) on teacher education in 2012, the NCTE had revised the B.Ed and M.Ed courses to become two-year programmes. The commission was constituted by the Supreme Court of India following concerns about the quality of teacher education in the country.

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New M.Ed: Master’s in Education syllabus

The one-year M.Ed “is an advanced level course delineated to 40 credits spread over two semesters”, says the NCTE draft policy.

The one academic year will be split into two semesters, including field attachment and research dissertation.

“Students shall be permitted to complete the programme requirements of the one- year programme within a maximum period of two years. The summer should be used for field attachment / practicum / other activities,” states the draft.

Students who have obtained at least 50% in either version of B.Ed, ITEP or Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed) are eligible for the M.Ed course.

Institutions must fulfill multiple conditions to be allowed to offer the full-time M.Ed programme. They must

• be multi-disciplinary higher education institutions offering teacher education programmes for at least five academic years

• affiliated to a university

• have been awarded minimum B grade by NAAC or applied for reaccreditation by NAAC or any other accrediting agency

In case of institutions that already offer the two-year version, they can also transition to this version by 2026.

The M.Ed part time, also a two-year programme but offered to in-service teachers and educational functionaries, will continue in its current form.

New ITEP specialisations

This is the second spate of reforms post-NEP 2020 and follows the introduction of the ITEP as a pilot project in 42 institutions in the 2023-24 academic session.

For ITEP Arts Education and Physical Education, along with an aptitude test, there will also be a skill based test and physical fitness test, respectively, for admission. “HEIs will hold their own skill-based test in the concerned subject. Final scorecard shall

be prepared in the ratio of 85:15 (NTA score (85) + Skill-based test (15)). The modality of the skill-based test shall be determined by the HEIs concerned,” states the draft policy.

Further as per the norms to run any of the teacher education programmes appointing a physical and art education faculty will be mandatory. NCTE has also released model or suggestive syllabi and said that up to 30% modification can be undertaken as per local requirement.

As an essential feature of ITEP all of the new specialisations will be a dual-major Bachelor’s degree.

In case of ITEP physical education, “The programme will provide an UG degree (B.P.E.S) and a Bachelor of Physical Education (B.P.Ed.). The curriculum of this programme includes courses essential for both degrees, as mandated by UGC and NCTE.”

Explaining the scope of ITEP- Sanskrit Education, NCTE states that it will be a minimal degree qualification to become a school, gurukul or pathshala Sanskrit teacher, which will be offered after senior secondary or Prak Shastri or Uttar Madhyama examination or its equivalent.

Even with ITEP in Yoga Education, student-teachers will be awarded a dual-major bachelor's degree.