Bhubaneswar, Mar 14: In a significant move to reform teacher education in Odisha, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj announced that the traditional two-year Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) program will soon be integrated into a four-year course under the newly introduced Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP).
As part of this initiative, eight out of the 16 teacher training institutes in the state have signed agreements with nearby colleges to facilitate the transition. This decision, taken by the state's Higher Education Department, aims to streamline teacher education by reducing the course duration from five years (including a three-year undergraduate degree and a two-year B.Ed.) to four years.
The introduction of ITEP aligns with the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), which promotes innovative educational programs to enhance the quality of teacher training.
Currently, students must secure a minimum of 50% marks in their undergraduate degree (+3) to qualify for B.Ed., while B.Tech. and B.E. graduates require 55%. Additionally, there are reserved seats for economically disadvantaged and Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) students.
Under the new system, degree-holding students will no longer be the sole applicants for B.Ed. admissions, as the revised policy will allow students to pursue teacher training through an integrated approach right after higher secondary education.
The upcoming changes are expected to make teacher education more accessible and efficient, ensuring better-trained educators for the future.
