The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has made a six-month certificate course (bridge course) mandatory for in-service primary school teachers. This course will be for those teachers who already have a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) degree. This step has been taken under the Supreme Court's direction of 28 November 2023, in which the criteria for recruitment of primary teachers was determined.

This course will be one-time and it will be organized by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) which will be available to teachers in online and distance learning (ODL) mode. The Ministry of Education has already approved the course structure proposed by NCTE. Teachers have to complete this bridge course within a year, if they do not do so, then the appointment of those teachers will be canceled as per the order of the Supreme Court.

Who can do this bridge course?

The bridge course applies only to in-service teachers of a particular category. For this, those teachers are eligible who already have a B.Ed degree. Teachers who have been appointed in primary schools between 28 June 2018 and 28 November 2023. Teachers should have been appointed under the notification of NCTE dated 28 June 2018 and should have been in service before the Supreme Court's decision of 28 November 2023.

No candidate outside this category will be eligible to do this course. A strict mechanism will be established by NCTE and NIOS. Only eligible candidates as per the Supreme Court's decision of 8 April 2024. will be able to register for the course and complete it.

NCTE's 6-month bridge course

This certificate will be valid only for those teachers who are currently in service under the order of the Supreme Court. The order clearly states that this certificate will not be useful for any new recruitment in the future.

According to media reports, NCTE has planned to promote this course widely and is in the process of obtaining the necessary permissions to conduct it. The council is finalizing the operational mechanism for starting the course.

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