87 new institutes for teachers training

The Human Resource Development Ministry has initiated process under a new scheme to establish 87 new institutes in different disciplines to fill the shortage of qualified teachers in schools, colleges and universities.

It recently finalised the guidelines for setting up of the proposed institutes under Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching, almost a year after Finance Minister announced the programme while presenting his maiden Union Budget.

This comes at a time when the Narendra Modi government plans to highlight its achievements on completion of its one year. The programme was envisaged by the erstwhile UPA government to address the shortage of qualified teachers in country’s schools and higher educational institutions.

Under the scheme, the ministry will establish 50 centres of excellence for curriculum and pedagogy, 30 schools of education, 20 faculty development centres, 5 centres of excellence in science and mathematics education and 2 inter-university centres for teacher education.

It will also set up 25 teaching-learning centres and 20 faculty development centres at select academic staff colleges and universitiesEstablishment of five institutes of academic leadership and education management and one national resource centre for education are also on the cards besides institution of awards at national, state and institute levels to recognise excellence among teachers in higher education.

The proposed 30 school of education, to be set up at the central universities, would provide for concerted research and material development in areas of curriculum studies, pedagogic studies, assessment and evaluation apart from educating teachers and teacher educators. Each of these schools will have an international mentoring partner.

 One of the five centres of excellence in science and mathematics education is proposed to be set up at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, while the other at Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education Mumbai. Rest of the proposed centres will be set up in select universities.