Bhubaneswar: Students in Odisha will soon be able to enroll in a teacher education programme immediately after completing Class 12, in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
“Eligible students can now pursue the Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree through the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP). This innovative programme allows students to complete their studies in a condensed time frame of four years, compared to the conventional five-year duration required under the current BEd curriculum. Previously, students had to complete a two-year BEd programme after graduation,” informed Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj speaking to reporters today.
The Higher Education Minister said that eight of the state’s 16 government-run teacher training institutes have already signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with nearby colleges to facilitate the programme.
“These MoUs are a crucial step in implementing ITEP at these institutes. The programme will commence once the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) grants its approval. While we have not yet received the nod for the 2025-2006 academic session, we are working to launch it at the earliest,” he said.
The Minister stated that the Higher Education Department has been introducing several innovative initiatives following the implementation of NEP in the state, with ITEP being one of them.
“ITEP aims to streamline teacher education, provide students with an early start in their teaching careers, and enhance the overall quality of education in Odisha,” he added.
Additionally, the Higher Education Department has allocated Rs 168 crore to enhance the infrastructure of 189 private degree colleges in the state. This financial support will be used for the construction of additional classrooms, laboratories, canteens, libraries, common rooms, multipurpose halls, administrative and academic buildings.
