Teacher training as the fulcrum of future-ready education

Teaching plays a foundational role in education, but rapidly evolving classrooms and constantly updated curricula demand that teachers continually develop professionally to ensure that their lessons stay academically relevant, globally benchmarked and engaging for students. Strengthening the teacher training ecosystem in India is not merely a goal outlined in the National Education Policy 2020; it represents a long-term institutional investment aimed at enhancing teaching quality, thereby creating a future-ready education system that empowers students across the nation to compete on a global scale. Ensuring that such reforms are inclusive and teachers across the country are given equal opportunities to learn the latest pedagogical innovations is essential for closing the learning gaps among students that divide them. Two significant reforms for teacher education and training pushed under NEP 2020 are the introduction of the Integrated Teacher Education Programme and the upgrading of District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) into DIETs of Excellence. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, and Children and Youth; therefore, it is incumbent upon the states to strengthen the DIETs that Sports has issued a warning regarding both issues, which requires the attention and action of the central and state governments. The parliamentary panel has observed that many institutions, particularly private and non-multidisciplinary ones, lack the infrastructure and trained faculty; therefore, it is incumbent upon the states to strengthen the DIETs with resources to implement ITEP effectively. It also pointed out that the variation in DIETs’ scores suggests inconsistent infrastructure and human resource quality across DIETs. The committee’s observation highlights that the quality of teacher education programmes relies on the quality of institutions, and it cautions that the growth of substandard private institutions driven by commercial interests can significantly undermine the ITEP’s goal of NEP 2020 to produce high-quality teachers, as many institutions prioritise profit over quality; this serves as a timely reminder for the need for stricter regulation and effective quality control. The constitution of an ITEP review committee for periodic updation based on feedback from educators and students; therefore, it is incumbent upon the states to strengthen the DIETs that schools have, ensuring continued relevance and effectiveness is a laudable initiative. Another critical gap flagged by the committee is that ITEP mandates that a significant portion of the programme, at least 25%, be dedicated to school-based activities and internships, but many institutions lack partnerships with quality schools for internships, leading to inconsistent practical training experiences. The committee’s recommendation for the department and the National Council for Teacher Education to develop partnerships with diverse schools (government, private, rural, and urban) in order to provide varied teaching experiences, along with the creation of a framework for internship evaluation that includes mentor feedback and student performance metrics, requires prompt administrative action. DIETs that secure a score of 60 points or above are being considered eligible for upgradation under the scheme of converting into DIETs of Excellence. While this benchmark ensures a DIET meets minimum preparedness for central support, the risk of disparity from those failing to secure the required score raises concerns about equitable teacher capacity-building. The central government has prioritised only those DIETs with relatively better infrastructure and resources for transformation; therefore, it is incumbent upon the states to strengthen the DIETs which fail to make it to this list. As DIETs scoring below the prescribed benchmark are required to be strengthened through state-level interventions, state budgets earmarking adequate outlays for the required investment are essential to make them eligible for receiving grants for transformation into DIETs of Excellence. Any delay in the release or utilisation of allocated funds will widen the gap between DIETs and DIETs of Excellence and adversely affect equitable teacher education, ultimately depriving students of access to quality learning. Given the rapid spread of digital technology and the disruption caused by artificial intelligence, classrooms in India must evolve at a faster pace to prepare students with future-ready competencies. This transformation can happen only when the teacher is fully equipped to design and deliver the lessons, both in the classrooms and laboratories, which are globally relevant and aligned with emerging digital and AI-driven learning needs. Achieving this goal requires continuous professional development of teachers, not through one-time training sessions or a single mid-career refresher course. The NEP mandates that teachers complete 50 hours of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) each year for their professional growth, allowing them the flexibility to choose courses that align with their interests and career goals. Educational institutions having quality infrastructure, adequate smart classrooms, and smooth interest access are pivotal to enabling teachers to deliver what they have learnt through training and CPD. The issue: We must avoid the egg-and-chicken dilemma of choosing between prioritising teacher training and developing infrastructure improvements. to fall into the egg-and-chicken dilemma of choosing between developing infrastructure improvements first and prioritising teacher training. Outcome-orientated reforms demand that both must be strengthened in tandem. Even though the NEP places teachers at the centre of reforms, achieving transformation in teacher education and training must prioritise students and their learning needs. The challenge remains in removing the rural-urban divide and digital divide that limit equal access to education.