The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) is unlikely to extend the last date of registration for bridge course offered by it for the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) qualified working teachers. This stance of the NIOIS assumes significance in wake of the agitation of special Basic Teacher Certificate (BTC) qualified Government primary teachers of Uttarakhand who have refused to comply with the education department’s order for bridge course.
The last date for registration in the official website of the NIOS for the bridge course is December 15. It is pertinent to mention here that the NIOS had extended the last date by 15 days and sources confirm that the body is not in a mood to extend the date further.
The Regional officer of NIOS, Pradeep Rawat said that more than 18000 candidates have registered for the bridge course while number of candidates registering for the Diploma in Elementary Education (DElEd) course is about 37000.
He informed that the bridge course is one time measure to provide benefit to working teachers who are BEd qualified.
Rawat said that that the under the Right to Education (RTE) act 2009 there was a provision that all primary teachers should compulsorily have the DElEd qualification by the year 2019 in order to continue teaching primary students.
In view of large number of teachers remaining to be trained for this course, an amendment in the RTE act was incorporated in the year 2017 by which it was decided that all untrained teachers should compulsorily complete DElEd by March 2019. In view of large number of B.Ed qualified teachers teaching primary classes it was decided to rope in NIOS which was to conduct a six month bridge course for these teachers. Importantly this six month bridge course is recognised by the apex body, the National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE).
Meanwhile more than 13000 special BTC qualified teachers in the state are facing the heat of the NCTE’s directive. These teachers had done Special BTC course spanning six months in the District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET) from the year 2001 to 2014. Interestingly these courses were undertaken after proper Government Orders (GOs).
To the misfortune of these teachers it was learnt recently that due to tardiness of the education department officers the Special BTC course conducted by the DIETs are not recognized by the NCTE.
On its part the NCTE has clearly rejected the request of the state education department to grant recognition to the special BTC course in retrospection as an amendment promulgated by the parliament is needed for it.
