Bhubaneswar, March 13: In a significant step towards reforming teacher education in Odisha, the Higher Education Department has announced a groundbreaking change: students can now enroll in the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) programme immediately after completing Class 12.
This major decision was shared by Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj on Thursday.
The new initiative aims to streamline the teacher training process and reduce the course duration from five years to four years. This change will provide aspiring educators with a more efficient and direct path into the teaching profession, helping them enter the workforce sooner while ensuring they receive comprehensive training.
As part of this reform, the state has introduced the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP), which will be available at select institutions across Odisha. To officially mark the launch of the new programme, an official Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between eight teacher training institutes and their respective nearby colleges.
Of the 16 existing teacher training institutions in the state, eight have been chosen to implement the ITEP in collaboration with nearby colleges. Under this framework, students can bypass the need for a graduation degree before pursuing a B.Ed. Instead, they can directly enroll in the programme after completing Class 12.
The ITEP is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP), which promotes innovative and holistic reforms in education. The Odisha government's decision to implement this programme is part of a broader effort to improve teacher training and make quality education more accessible to future educators. By reducing the duration of the course, the initiative is designed to produce well-trained teachers more efficiently while maintaining alignment with national educational standards.
The ITEP offers a structured, interdisciplinary approach to teacher training. This method will equip students with the essential skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their teaching careers. With a focus on comprehensive and rigorous training, the programme aims to enhance the quality of education in the state while attracting more students to the teaching profession.
