Parliament Question: Strengthening of SCERT and teacher education institutions

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO - 210 ANSWERED ON 11/03/2026 Strengthening of SCERT and teacher education institutions 210 Shri B. Parthasaradhi Reddy: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) whether Union Government has taken note of representations regarding strengthening of State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and teacher education institutions, including Telangana; (b) the details of Central schemes and assistance available for capacity building, research and infrastructure support to SCERTs, District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Council for Technical Education (CTEs) and Institute of Advanced Studies in Education (IASEs) across States; (c) whether measures are being taken to promote research-oriented teacher education and continuous professional development of teachers in the country if so, details thereof; and (d) if not, the reasons therefor? ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN) (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the table of the House. ******STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 210 ANSWERED ON 11/03/2026 ASKED BY HON’BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT SHRI B. PARTHASARADHI REDDY REGARDING “STRENGTHENING OF SCERT AND TEACHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS”. (a) to (d): The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 emphasises strengthening teacher education institutions and developing a vibrant institutional system for teacher preparation, professional development and educational research. It envisages reinvigorating State Councils of Educational Research and Training (SCERTs) and other teacher education institutions as key academic institutions responsible for curriculum development, teacher education, research and academic support to school education systems. In line with these objectives, the Government of India, under the integrated Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha, provides financial and programmatic support for strengthening teacher education institutions including State Councils of Educational Research and Training (SCERTs), District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs), Colleges of Teacher Education (CTEs) and Institutes of Advanced Studies in Education (IASEs). Proposals received from States/UTs, including Telangana, for strengthening such institutions are considered through the Project Approval Board (PAB) process based on the Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWP&B) submitted by the States/UTs. The support provided under the scheme includes strengthening of physical infrastructure in Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs), capacity building of DIET functionaries, academic and programmatic support to SCERTs for curriculum development, research and development of State Curriculum Frameworks aligned with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE), and provision of continuous academic support to schools through Block Resource Centres (BRCs) and Cluster Resource Centres (CRCs). The Central Government also provides salary support for teacher educators in SCERTs and DIETs as per the norms of Samagra Shiksha. The Government has decided to develop all functional District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) into Centres of Excellence under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha in a phased manner. In the first phase, an amount of ₹917.09 crore was approved for upgradation of 125 DIETs in FY 2023-24, and in the second phase, ₹1,512.50 crore has been approved for upgradation of 121 DIETs during FY 2025-26. Several measures have been undertaken to promote research-oriented teacher education and continuous professional development (CPD) of teachers. The NEP 2020 recommends that every teacher participate in at least 50 hours of continuous professional development annually and encourages a shift towards need-based, teacher-driven professional learning. The National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2024 also emphasises strengthening teacher competencies through reflective practice, research orientation and inquiry-based learning. In addition, the National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) provide a framework defining competency domains for teachers including innovation and research in teaching practices. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) plays a key role in strengthening teacher education through research-informed frameworks and capacity building initiatives. NCERT has developed a structured 50-hour annual CPD framework for teachers and regularly conducts capacity building programmes for SCERTs, DIETs and teacher educators across the country. It also promotes research and academic exchange through initiatives such as the Journal of Indian Education, the Journal Voices of Teachers and Teacher Educators, andnational conferences of SCERT and State Institute of Education Directors. NCERT and its Regional Institutes of Education (RIEs) also conduct research-based training programmes and develop resource materials enabling teachers to undertake classroom-based action research. Large-scale teacher capacity building is also undertaken through the National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA) under Samagra Shiksha, which provides integrated training modules for teachers and school leaders through face-to-face and online modes. In addition, the Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) platform enables technology-enabled professional development through online training modules and digital learning resources for teachers across the country. Further, the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) notified by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) provides a four-year integrated programme for pre-service teacher education and includes research components such as dissertation work and practitioner inquiry, thereby strengthening research orientation in teacher preparation. *****