**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer to Unstarred Question No. 2334 raised in Lok Sabha regarding teacher capacity building programs in India. It outlines the initiatives taken by the Ministry of Education, including NISHTHA and DIKSHA, to improve teacher training and pedagogical techniques. Key dates mentioned include the launch of DIKSHA in 2017 and the National Common Entrance Test (NCET) last held on April 29, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **National Initiative for School Heads' and Teachers' Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA):**
* NISHTHA online was launched using the DIKSHA platform in October 2020, offering structured digital courses.
* It provides videos, reading material, reflective activities, and self-assessment tools, including modules related to the use of ICT in teaching, learning, and assessment.
* NISHTHA supports teachers by improving pedagogical techniques through access to on-demand digital content, lesson plans, interactive materials, and dashboards.
* Over 63 lakh teachers and school heads have undergone Continuous Professional Development through NISHTHA.
* **Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA):**
* DIKSHA was launched in 2017 under the PM e-VIDYA program to provide quality e-content for school education.
* DIKSHA contains lesson plans, worksheets, and activities for teachers to create enjoyable classroom experiences.
* It allows teachers to access interactive teaching materials, share best practices, and join professional development courses.
* **Collaboration with State Governments, Educational Institutions, and International Bodies:**
* Teacher training programs are supported under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
* Support includes strengthening physical infrastructure in Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) and State Councils of Educational Research and Trainings (SCERTs).
* The government will develop all functional District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) into Centers of Excellence starting from FY 2023-24. 125 DIETs were approved for upgradation in FY 2023-24 and 121 DIETs for the FY 2025-26.
* A Guiding Document on the National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) and Bluebook on the National Mission for Mentoring (NMM) were released.
* NCTE has notified ITEP, a 4-year integrated dual major bachelor degree in Education.
* Admission for ITEP is carried out by the National Testing Agency (NTA) through the National Common Entrance Test (NCET), which was last held on 29th April, 2025.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Teachers and School Heads**
* **Impact:** Enhanced skills in pedagogical techniques, access to digital resources, opportunities for professional development.
* **Action Required:** Engage with NISHTHA and DIKSHA resources, participate in training programs, and adopt new teaching methodologies.
**Stakeholder: State Governments and Educational Institutions**
* **Impact:** Strengthening of teacher education infrastructure and curriculum development.
* **Action Required:** Submit proposals for DIET upgradation, align teacher training programs with NEP 2020, and implement NPST and NMM guidelines.
**Stakeholder: Students**
* **Impact:** Improved quality of education through better-trained teachers and access to engaging teaching materials.
* **Action Required:** N/A
Key Entities Referenced
Samagra Shiksha: A Centrally Sponsored Scheme encompassing various interventions in school education, including teacher training.
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: A comprehensive policy framework guiding educational reforms, including teacher education.
Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA): A national platform providing digital learning resources for school education, including e-content for teachers.
National Initiative for School Heads' and Teachers' Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA): A national mission for improving learning outcomes through integrated teacher training programs using the DIKSHA platform.
District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs): District-level institutions for teacher education and training, being upgraded to Centers of Excellence.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO:- 2334
ANSWERED ON-15/12/2025
Teacher Capacity Building Programme
2334. Shri Ramasahayam Raghuram Reddy:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the extent to which the introduction of teacher capacity building programmes
such as National Initiative for School Heads' and Teachers' Holistic Advancement
(NISHTHA), impacted the education sector in the country;
(b) the extent to which the implementation of digital teaching aids like Digital Infrastructure
for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) help in improving pedagogical techniques; and
(c) the details of collaboration with State Governments, educational institutions and
international bodies to modernize the teaching and training curriculum for middle school
teachers?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a) & (b): The Department of School Education and Literacy has launched a National Mission
to improve learning outcomes through an Integrated Teacher Training Programme called
NISHTHA – National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement under
the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha. NISHTHA online was launched using
DIKSHA platform in October, 2020, which offers structured digital courses comprising videos,
reading material, reflective activities and self-assessment tools, including modules related to
the use of ICT in teaching, learning and assessment. The platform supports teachers in
improving pedagogical techniques through access to on-demand digital content, lesson plans,
interactive materials and dashboards. NISHTHA training has been extended to secondary stage
teachers in 2021-22. NISHTHA also caters to Foundational Literacy and Numeracy and Early
Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) for training of master trainers. Till date, cumulatively
over 63 lakh teachers and school heads across all States/UTs and central organisations have
undergone Continuous Professional Development through NISHTHA.
Under PM e-VIDYA programme, which unifies all efforts related to digital/online/on-air
education to enable multi-mode access to education, Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge
Sharing (DIKSHA) was launched in 2017 for providing quality e-content for school education
in States/UTs along with QR coded Energised Textbooks (ETBs) for all grades (One Nation,
One Digital platform). For teachers, DIKSHA contains lesson plans, worksheets and activities,
to create enjoyable classroom experiences. Teachers have access to interactive and engaging
teaching materials; can share best practices with other teachers to explain difficult concepts to
students; join courses to further professional development, etc.(c): Strengthening of teacher training/education programmes of States/UTs is supported under
the centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra Shiksha in alignment with the recommendations of
the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. These include strengthening of physical
infrastructure in Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs); support to State Councils of
Educational Research and Trainings (SCERTs) so that they can effectively and efficiently carry
out quality teacher education, research and develop state-specific curriculum framework, as a
follow up to the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF SE); capacity
building of District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) functionaries; continuous
academic support to schools through BRC/CRC etc.
Financial provision is also provided under this scheme as per state specific proposals for in-
service training of teachers, school Heads, subject teachers, resource persons, master trainers,
Education Administrators, Teachers Educators, key resource persons, induction training of
newly recruited teachers including those in rural and remote areas at elementary and secondary
levels through SCERTs and DIETs, as the nodal agencies.
The Government has decided to develop all functional District Institutes of Education and
Training (DIETs) into Centers of Excellence under the centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra
Shiksha in a phased manner starting from FY 2023-24. Based on proposals submitted by
States/UTs, so far the Government has approved upgradation of 125 DIETs for the FY 2023-
24 and upgradation of 121 DIETs for the FY 2025-26.
Further, in terms of NEP, 2020, the Government has released a Guiding Document on the
National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) and Bluebook on the National Mission
for Mentoring (NMM). NPST defines competencies of teachers at different stages/levels. The
Bluebook on NMM contains the various modalities for mentoring of schoolteachers for
enhancing their capacity building.
In terms of recommendations of NEP 2020, NCTE has notified ITEP, a 4-year integrated dual
major bachelor degree in Education as well as a specialized subject in arts, science, physical
education etc. The aim is to develop passionate, motivated, qualified, professionally trained,
and well-prepared teachers. Admission for the ITEP is carried out by the National Testing
Agency (NTA) through the National Common Entrance Test (NCET), which was last held on
29th April, 2025.
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