Indian Education Repository

The Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) sought to restructure and reorganise the Central Sector Schemes (CSS) on teacher education in 2012. The document revises many of the earlier programmes like District Institute for Education and Training (DIETs), Council on Teacher Education (CTEs), and Institute of Advanced Studies in Education (IASE), it lays a special focus on the professional development of teachers. The larger focus is still to push a learner-centred approach. However, the revised strategy acknowledged the need to conduct and publish research other than pre and in-service training. The interest, however, seems fleeting with one very brief chapter dedicated to the “Professional Development of Teacher Educators” in the Guidelines for Implementation. In this regard, this section states that “continuous up-gradation of professional and academic capabilities is necessary not only for practising teachers but also for teacher educators”. It mentioned using refresher courses for teacher educators in government and government-aided teacher education institutions like DIETs, District Resource Centres (DRCs), CTEs and IASEs but does not elaborate on their connection to the learning outcome. The focus has shifted gradually to the professional development of teachers through research and publishing but the intention is improving the quality of schools.