NCTE Plans To Discontinue Four-year B.El.Ed Programme By 2026, To Be Replaced By ITEP – News18

Last Updated:February 27, 2025, 19:38 IST

The draft NCTE regulations for 2025 propose that while existing B.El.Ed institutions can continue enrolling students until next year, they must transition to the ITEP framework before the 2026-27 session commences

The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) plans to phase out the Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed) programme by the 2026-27 academic year, three decades after its inception by Delhi University. This four-year programme will be replaced by the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP). It was started by Delhi University three decades ago in 1994.

The draft NCTE regulations for 2025 propose that while existing B.El.Ed institutions can continue enrolling students until next year, they must transition to the ITEP framework before the 2026-27 session commences. Around 90-95 institutions across India currently offer the B.El.Ed programme. No new admissions for the B.El.Ed programme will be permitted after 2026.

“The institutions which have been granted recognition for the 4-year Bachelor of Elementary Education programme leading to Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed.) under the Appendix 3 of NCTE Regulations 2014 shall continue and they shall be allowed to enroll students subject to the condition that they shall transit to the new Integrated Teacher Education Programme, under these norms and standards, before the start of the academic session 2026-2027,” reads the draft policy.

The shift aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes ITEP as the primary teacher education programme by 2030. The ITEP is a four-year course that combines a bachelor’s degree with a BEd. It was launched in 2023 with 57 pilot institutions.

One-year BEd, MEd Programme To Be Brought Back

The draft regulations released by NCTE also stated it will reintroduce the one-year BEd and MEd programmes from the 2026-27 academic session. The one-year courses were discontinued by NCTE about 10 years ago and since then the programmes have been offered for two-year durations. The decision aligns with the National Education Policy or NEP 2020 which highlights flexibility and multiple entry exit options for students.

Candidates who have completed either a four-year degree or postgraduation can apply for the one-year BEd programme. Those who have completed a three-year graduation will need to opt for the two-year BEd course.

Apart from revising the B.Ed programme duration, the one-year M.Ed programme will be offered full-time by the NCTE. On the other hand, the two-year programmes will be offered only to those who are working as teachers and educators