HYDERABAD: The unavailability of the Diploma in Elementary Education (D El Ed) in English medium at District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET), Neredmet, Hyderabad, in the present academic year, has caused significant hardship to D El Ed aspirants.
Several DIET lecturers and teaching aspirants have urged the authorities of School Education department to introduce the course in English medium from the upcoming academic year and also sought upgradation of infrastructure in the institute.
According to sources , due to poor infrastructure, the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) had withdrawn affiliation from the Neredmet DIET in 2024 but last year affiliation was restored only for two units - 50 seats each in Telugu and Urdu mediums. But English medium D El Ed is not yet available at DIET, Hyderabad, despite increasing demand. Neredmet DIET being the only government run institution and also private DIET institutions too do not offer course in English medium.
A few teaching aspirants pointed out that during this current academic year due to non -availability of courses in English medium , they were forced to enrol in several districts including Mahbubnagar, Vikarabad, Medak and Nizamabad.
Emphasising why English medium course is essential in Hyderabad, Kasturi Ravinder, general secretary of the State Guest Lecturers Association, told TNIE: “Hyderabad being a metropolitan and capital city requires English medium teacher education to meet urban and global educational needs. Similarly DIET, Hyderabad has the academic legacy, location advantage and potential to function as a pace-setting institution for the state. It will be better if education department introducea D.El.Ed in English medium from the upcoming academic year 2026-27 in the interest of students.”
Apart from introducing English medium, proper infrastructure development that includes a sufficient number of permanent Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) classrooms within the existing campus and construction of a compound wall to ensure safety and security. Also, a regular principal has to be appointed as the present in-charge principal will be retiring shortly, Ravinder said.