BHUBANESWAR: The Secretary of Higher Education department Saswat Mishra on Thursday wrote to the Chairperson of National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) Prof Dinesh Prasad Saklani requesting him to restore recognition of 16 teacher education institutions (TEIs) offering BEd, BHEd and MEd courses in the State.
Recognition to these institutions were withdrawn two years back primarily due to lack of required number of teachers. Subsequently, the institutions were allowed to operate but with minimum intake of students.
Stating that recruitment of teachers has been started by the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC), Mishra said that 67 teachers of geography, maths, political science and botany have already joined TEIs, 36 teachers of history and economics subjects have been issued appointment orders.
Selection of 45 teachers of English and Chemistry has been completed and appointment of teachers in other subjects will be over soon.
He informed Saklani that Odisha is the only State which has only government-run teacher training institutions to cater to the needs of trained teachers for elementary, secondary and higher secondary stages. Private TEIs are not allowed in Odisha. "Under these circumstances, withdrawal of recognition from TEIs has made it impossible for the department to meet the demand of the State for trained teachers," Mishra said.
"The NCTE is therefore requested to kindly consider the appeal petitions made by the 16 TEIs for restoration of recognition in their favour for their earlier approved intake strength of BEd, BHEd and MEd for the 2022-23 academic session," the Secretary wrote.
NCTE will hear the petitions of the TEIs on July 23 and 24.