The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) is planning to have a common entrance test for teachers.

According to Anil Swarup, Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy, MHRD, the test will be along the lines of the Common Admission Test (CAT). However, State governments will be free to have their separate examinations to recruit teachers.

“The idea is to evaluate and benchmark teachers against certain parameters. It is not at all imposing on State governments to use this test as a recruitment parameter. They can have their own tests too or they can recruit from this pool also,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the program ‘Creating a Robust School Education System as the Bedrock of New India’, organised by the Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Meanwhile, in a bid to check substandard teachers being pumped into schools through mushrooming teaching institutions across the country, the National Council for Teachers Education (NCTE) - a regulatory body for school level teachers’ training, has begun mapping these institutions.

According to Swarup, the NCTE had sought data from several affiliated institutions that offer B.Ed and other certificates courses mostly through affidavits. Nearly 35-40 per cent of such institutions have not responded.

“So expect some action on that front sometime this year,” he said hinting that delisting of such institutions which are sub-standard or does not adhere to norms are also on the cards.

“Of course, there will be a thorough probe into such institutions before any action is taken,” he assured.

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