NCTE nod pending, admissions to 2,500 BEd seats delayed again

NCTE nod pending, admissions to 2,500 BEd seats delayed again

Ragu.Rmn@timesgroup.com

Chennai:27.01.2021

Admissions to 2,500 BEd seats in government and government-aided colleges in Tamil Nadu have been delayed further as the southern regional committee of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) is yet to give its nod for the admissions. Recently, higher education secretary Apoorva asked the council to relax faculty requirements view of the ongoing recruitment.

The directorate of collegiate education used to conduct single-window counselling for 2,500 BEd seats in seven government colleges of education and 14 governmentaided colleges. Citing faculty shortage in government colleges, the NCTE directed all the seven institutions not to make any admission till the recruitment is completed.

The Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) has expedited the recruitment of 33 faculty members to government colleges.

The southern regional committee after perusing the higher education secretary’s January 3 letter decided to request the NCTE chairperson to take appropriate action on the matter. “Only then the SRC can consider the request made by the principal secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu,” minutes of the southern regional committee meeting said.

Online registration for BEd admissions was held from December 4 to10. Several hundred candidates applied.

Candidates said they are worried about the long delay as they may lose a full year if admissions are delayed. “Tuition fee in government colleges is just ₹2,000 against ₹35,000 in private colleges. Because of the delay in admissions, the 14 government-aided colleges are also not able to fill 90% seats under government quota,” an aspirant said. There are 1,900 BEd seats in 14 government-aided colleges.

“There are chances that the admissions may not be possible for this academic year with only three months available. The higher education department should consider conducting admissions for this batch in the calendar year instead of in the academic year,” said J Robert, general secretary of the Secondary Grade Seniority Teachers Association.

“The government can still conduct BEd counselling in February and for this batch can finish 3-4 months late. If they don’t conduct admissions, it will affect aspirants,” said A Manoharan, president, Voice of Academics.

Sources said the TRB conducted the certificate verification for 1,400 candidates and is likely to appoint the 33 faculty members to government colleges of education by the first or second week of February.