NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR TEACHER EDUCATION
Hans Bhawan, Wing II, I, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg,
New Delhi - 110 002

NORMS AND STANDARDS FOR TEACHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
BACHELOR OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
(B.EL.ED.)

Table of Contents

Preamble

1.  Duration of the Course
2.  Admission Criteria
3.  Intake and Migration
4.  Courses and Periods of Study
5   The Conduct of the B.El.Ed. Programme
6.  Examination, Standards and Qualification of Examiners
7.  Staff, Equipment and Training
8.  Other Facilities
9.  Norms for Space
10 Specific Infrastructural Facilities for Students of B.El.Ed.
11 Fee structure and scholarship
12.Nature of Employment of Staff

PREAMBLE

The National Council for Teacher Education has now been vested with statutory authority to take all such steps as it may think fit for ensuring planned and coordinated development of teacher education and for the determination and maintenance of standards of teacher education including preparation for pre-primary, primary, secondary and senior secondary stages of school education. The formulation of norms and standards for teacher education institutions preparing teachers and teacher educators for different levels of school education is essential for a variety of reasons. Norms will help existing institutions offering teacher education programs, to compare the provisions in their institutions with norms of the NCTE and take necessary action to correct deficiencies, if any. Norms will also help in proper planning of new institutions, programs and courses of teacher education.

Here, the norms and standards specify the 'Conditions' required for recognition, permission, and additional intake of seats.

This document specifies norms and standards approved by the NCTE for Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed.) Programme by the institutions offering four-year full-time integrated face to face instruction.

It is expected that this document will be used by planners and administrators of teacher education, and by government, autonomous and private managements of teacher education in planning, organizing and recognizing programs of Bachelor of Elementary Teacher Education (B.El.Ed.) Programme. The NCTE will be using these norms for professional recognition of institutions organizing Bachelor of Elementary Teacher Education (B.El.Ed.) Programme. These norms will also be used for advising government, autonomous and private managements for taking suitable action for improving existing programs and institutions.

1. Duration of the Course

(a) The integrated Elementary Teacher Education Degree Programme, henceforth, called the Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed.), shall be of a minimum duration of four academic years, including an Internship of a minimum of 16 working weeks in the fourth/final year of study.

(b) Candidates admitted in this Programme shall complete the final year examination within 6 years from the year of admission.

2. Admission Criteria

(a) Candidates seeking admission to the four-year degree programme in Elementary Teacher Education shall have to qualify in the prescribed Centralised Entrance Test (CET), especially designed to assess the candidate's potential.

Reservation of seats may be provided in accordance with the constitutional\legislative provisions.

(b) Qualification for admission.

(i) The minimum qualification for admission to the B.El.Ed. shall be a pass in the 10+2 Senior Secondary Examination or any other examination recognised as equivalent thereto with a minimum aggregate of 50% marks.

(ii) Candidate seeking admission to this programme must have completed the age of 17 years on or before the commencement of admission as per University Calender.

3. Intake and Migration

4. Courses and Periods of Study

The institutions seeking recognition shall impart instructions in courses of Elementary Teacher Education. As an integral part of the teaching programme, each institution shall arrange for field tours and visits to centres of innovative activity in elementary school education. The institutions imparting instructions shall follow the Scheme of courses given below:

(b) The theory and practicum courses may be classified in terms of knowledge areas as suggested in Table 1a and 1b.

Table 1(a) : Foundational Basis for Professional Education
 

Area of Study	B.El.Ed. Course
Subject  Knowledge Base	Core Courses : C1.1 Nature of Language C1.2 Core Mathematics C1.3 Core Natural Science C1.4 Core Social Science  Two-level liberal discipline specific optional courses : O2.X and O3.X in any one chosen discipline. Foundation Course (multi-disciplinary) :  F1.2 Contemporary India.
Education	Foundation Courses : F3.6 Basic Concepts in Education  F3.7 School Planning and Management F4.8 Curriculum Studies F4.9 Gender and Schooling
Child Study	Foundation Courses : F1.1 Child Development F2.3 Cognition and Learning F2.4 Language Acquisition

Area of Study	B.El.Ed. Courses
Child Study	Practicum courses : PR1.2 (a) School Contact Programme  (b) Craft  PR2.3 Observing Children  P2.1 Language Across the Curriculum P3.2 Logico-Mathematics Education P 3.3 Pedagogy of Environmental Studies One of the Optional PedagogyCourses : OP4.1 Language  OP4.2 Mathematics OP4.3 Natural Sciences  OP4.4 Social Sciences  OR One of the Optional Liberal Courses Related to Education : OL4.1 Computer Education OL4.2 Special Education School Contact Programme : SC 3.1 Classroom Management SC 3.2 Material Development and Evaluation
Development of Teachers and Skill Training	Foundation Course : F2.5 Human Relations and Communication Practicum Courses : PR1.1 Theatre PR1.2 Craft  PR2.4 Self-development PR2.5 Physical Education Colloquia / Tutorials Academic Enrichment Field- based projects / assignments
School Experience	SI School Internship Project

Note: Suggestive/illustrative details are given in Annexure A.

(c) Student Contact Hours
    The minimum student contact hours year-wise may be as indicated in Table 2.

Table 2 : Year Wise Minimum Student Contact Hours
 

Year of Study	Student Contact Hours per day	Student Contact Hours per week	Total No. of Contact Hours
I	6.7	33.5	837.5
II	5.3	26.5	662.5
III	5.4	27.0	675.0
IV	5.8	29.0	725.0
Total	23.2	116.0	2900.0

Students Contact Hours to be read as contact periods. A period is usually of 50 min. duration. Average Student Contact Hours computed at 5 working days per week.

Total No. of Contact Hours computed for 25 working weeks in a year.

5.0     The Conduct of the B.El.Ed. Programme

The institutions will have to meet the following specific demands of a professional programme of study:

a) Integrate the B.El.Ed. students with other institutions' activities, academic as well as co-curricular, and for the use of all basic facilities such as computers, playground, library, auditorium, etc.

b) Promote inter-disciplinary academic activities between various departments within the institution.

c) Initiate discourse on education by organizing seminars, lectures and discussion groups for students and faculty.

d) Professional assistance must be sought from within and outside the University/Institution for conducting specific activities of the programme (eg: theatre, craft, self-development workshops).

e) The institution must initiate and sustain interaction with a cluster of at least six elementary schools. These schools shall form basic contact point for all practicum activities and related work throughout the programme of study.

f) The institution must initiate placement services for the graduates in schools.
 

6. Examination, Standards and Qualification of Examiners

The following shall be integrated into the appropriate Ordinances of the University/Institution concerned which will make provisions through its Statutory Bodies for review as and when appropriate and in consultation with the NCTE.

(a) The University shall conduct the examination at the end of each year.
(b) Practicum courses may be assessed internally.

(c) A Moderation Board constituted by the concerned University/Institution shall monitor issues of quality and parity between Institutions for all Practicum Courses and the Internship Programme.

(d) The weightage of internal assessment for all theory courses may be 30% and for all practicum courses 100%.

(e) The minimum marks required to pass the examination may be 40% in each written paper, 45% in the internal assessment, 50% in Practicum and 50% in the aggregate for each year.

(f) Only those candidates who have passed in the internal assessment, shall be permitted to appear in the examination.

(g) Any candidate who has obtained not less than 50% in aggregate but has failed in one subject only, obtaining not less that 25% in that subject may be provisionally allowed to proceed to the next year on the condition that she/he will appear for a compartment examination to be held on payment of fees as per University rules. If the candidate fails to pass or fails to present herself/himself at the compartment examination she/he will be reverted to the previous year.

(h) An examiner for any of the subjects of examination shall have a minimum of 3 years teaching/professional experience in his/her field of study.

7. Staff, Equipment and Training

(a) Academic Faculty

Full-Time Faculty strength	14
Faculty - Student Ratio	1:10
Number of Students	35 x 4 = 140
Part-Time Faculty strength	3

(b) The institutions shall encourage the faculty members to involve in professional practice including research.
(c) The institutions shall encourage exchange of faculty members for academic programme.
(d) Administrative Staff

Curriculum Laboratory attendant	1
Resource Laboratory attendent	1
Steno typist	2

(e) Nature of employment of staff

All staff should be appointed on fill time and regular basis. Properly constituted Selection Committee will select the candidates for all positions. The salary structure of teaching staff should be as per UGC/Govt. norms.

(f) Selection of Faculty

Faculty of the Department of Elementary Teacher Education shall have diverse specialisations ( as indicated in Table 3) alongwith a post-graduate professional degree in education* or a research degree in education* or demonstrated experience / research in the field of education*.

Table 3 : Profiles of Faculty Required for the Department of Elementary Education  

Specialisation	No. of  Posts	Essential Qualification	Special interest and Demonstrated Experience	Suggested B.El.Ed. Course to be Taught
1	2	3	4	5
Psychology/ Child Development	One         plus       One	M.A. Psychology/Applied Psychology (with specialisation in Child Development)/M.Sc. Child Development and Research Degree in Education    M.A. Psychology/Applied Psychology (with specialisation in Clinical Psychology/Counselling) /MSW (with specialisation in Personality Development and Counselling) and P.G. Degree/ Research in Education	Work with children/ Issues of how children learn, work undertaken with children      Clinical psychology/ Counselling	Child Development  Cognition and Learning Related Practicum Human /Relations and Communications Related Practicum
* Preferably elementary education.
Mathematics	One	M.A. Maths/M.Sc. Maths and Post-graduate professional degree in Education	Creative teaching methods	Core Mathematics Logico- Math Education  School Contact  Pedagogy of Maths
Science Biological Sciences and Physical Sciences	One     plus   One	M.Sc. Biological Sciences and Post-graduate Professional degree in Education      M.Sc. Physical Sciences and Post-graduate professional degree in Education	Psychology of learning, curricular issues, science teaching     - do -	Core Natural Science Pedagogy of  Environmental Studies  School Contact  Pedagogy of Natural Science
Social Science	One                         plus             One	M.A. Political Science (with specialisation in Developmental Studies/Political Economy/ M.A. Sociology (with specialisation in Developmental Studies/Political and Economic systems)/MA. History (with specialisation in Philosophy of Social Sciences and P.G. Degree/Research in Education     M.A. Social Sciences and a Post-graduate professional degree in Education.	Integrated applications of social sciences, environmental education, multi-disciplinary perspectives on contemporary Indian issues             Pedagogic studies in social sciences, creative teaching methods	Core Social Science     Contemporary India                     Pedagogy of Environmental Studies     Pedagogy of Social Science
Linguistics	One	M.A. Linguistics/M.A. English/hindi with Diploma in Linguistics and Research in language development in children/P.G. degree in Education/Research in Education.	Language development in children, creative language teaching.	Nature of Language     Language Acquisition
Language : Hindi or English	One	M.A. English/ Hindi and a Post-graduate professional degree in Education.	Development of curricula materials; teaching language through innovative methods; language pedagogy	Language Across the Curriculum  Related Practicum Pedagogy of Language
Education	One       plus One	M.A. Philosophy and Post graduate degree in Education/Professional Degree in Education     M.A. Social Science/M.Sc. Science and PG Professional Degree in Education	Educational theory, philosophy and Policy       Curriculum issues, Practitioners perspective of school education.	Basic Concepts in Education  Child Development Curriculum Studies Curriculum Studies Relevant units of other courses School Planning and Management
Liberal Optional  (at least 4)	Three *	Post-graduate degree in the relevant subject.	Inter-disciplinary perspectives	Liberal Optional offered
Part-time Faculty :   Theatre   Craft     Self Development     Physical Education	Three**	Training and Demonstrated experience in the relevant field : Theatre in Education     Craft making/training     Clinical/Counselling Practice/Training in groups      Training and Practice in Physical Education	Capacity to use theatre for self development and in Education Skill in craft making and Capacity to train others  Ability to conduct workshops in personal growth / counselling  Capacity to integrate varying forms of physical movement with education	Performing and Fine Arts     Craft, Participatory work   Self Development Workshops     Physical Education

* These would be from cooperating departments of an Institution

** Equivalent of one full-time faculty (these would be specialised resource personnel from outside the Institution)

8. Other Facilities

The institutions shall provide facilities as follows:

Physical Facilities

The physical facilities to be provided in an institution offering the B.El.Ed. can be classified under (i) Academic area, (ii) Administrative area, and (iii) Amenities area.

- Academic area will consist of Class Rooms, Curriculum Laboratory, Resource Laboratory, Conference Room, Workshop, Auditorium, Computer Room, and Library.

- Administrative area will include Principals' Room, Faculty Rooms, Central Office, Conference Room, Record Room, Computer Room and Reception Lounge.

- Amenities area will comprises Students' Common Room. Staff Room, Hall, Sports/Recreation Centres, Canteen, Cooperative Stores, Dispensary and Security Services.

9. Norms for Space

Where teacher education is provided through a Department/College as an integral part of a University/Institution having several Faculties and Departments of Studies, all central facilities/amenities are to be shared between the Department of Elementary Education and other Departments. In the case of laboratories and workshops, necessary additional provisions need be made so that the B.El.Ed. students can make use of them. Apart from the Central Library of the University/College, a Department Library may also be developed to cater to the special needs of the B.El.Ed. students. The Resource Laboratory should be equipped with adequate reading material alongwith other equipment needed for Pedagogy-based practicum and other School Contact Programmes. Amenities such as Auditorium, Hall, Conference Rooms etc. could be shared with other departments.

10 Specific Infrastructural Facilities for Students of B.El.Ed.

(a) Curriculum Laboratory : One

The curriculum laboratory shall be the lab area for conducting hands-on experience activity. The laboratory would serve this purpose for first year courses such as craft, core mathematics, core science and partly for core social science and for third year courses in logico-mathematics education, pedagogy of environmental studies and practicum on material development.

The lab would contain science and mathematics related material such as apparatus, chemicals, kits, maps, globes, instruments and tools like hammer, pliers, scissors and wires. There should be work tables for small group activities. The furniture should be movable to allow for work area on the floor as well. The lab should also have provision for use of an overhead projector, notice boards and blackboard for holding classes.

(b) Resource Laboratory : One

The resource lab shall serve the purpose of a laboratory-cum-department library. It should have a stores and access to books, curriculum materials, children's literature, textbooks, reports and documents. These materials are essentially for use for the B.El.Ed. courses of study. Materials should be available in sufficient numbers for use by students in schools as well. The Resource Laboratory may also have computer facility for use by the faculty and students. The laboratory should have sufficient space for student meetings, classes and group discussions and reading as well.

(c) Workshop Space : Two

The Institution should provide separate space for conducting specific practicum activities such as theater workshops, self-development workshops and physical education workshops. Such space should allow for free physical movement for a batch of 35-40 students.

11. Fee structure and scholarship

Essential

The fee structure should be as decided by the State Govt./University from time to time. In any case, the total fees and other charges collected from students should not exceed the per pupil recurring expenditure of the institution.

Desirable

Adequate free studentships may be provided for meritorious poor students. Provision for some scholarships on the basis of merit may also be made.

12. Nature of Employment of Staff

All staff should be appointed on full time and regular basis. Properly constituted Selection Committee will select the candidates for all positions. The salary structure of teaching staff should be as per UGC/Govt. Norms.

SCHEME FOR FOUR YEAR BACHELOR OF ELEMENTARY
EDUCATION PROGRAMME (B.El.Ed.)

Annexure A

Students will be admitted to this Programme after +2

F: Foundation Course; C: Core Course: P: Pedagogy Courese; O: Optional Liberal Course; OP: Optional Pedagogy Course; OL: Optional Courses; PR: Practium; SC: School Contact Programme; SI: School Intership.

In the course nomeclature, the numeral immediately following letters (F, C, P etc.) denotes the year of the programme in which the course is to be taught.  The second numeral denotes the serial number in a particular course type.  For instance, F2-5 signifies that Human Relations and Communication is the 5th Foundation Course to be taught in the 2nd year of the Programme of study.