Question

The national body which prescribes qualifications for school teachers in the Republic of India.

• A. UGC
• B. CTE
• C. NUEPA
• D. NCTE

Hint:

Recognize the specific mandates of key educational bodies in India: UGC for university standards, AICTE for technical education, and NCTE for teacher education standards and qualifications.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understand the role asked in the question.
The question asks for the national body responsible for prescribing qualifications for school teachers in India. This implies a regulatory and standard-setting authority.

Step 2: Evaluate each option based on their respective roles in the Indian education system.
(1) UGC (University Grants Commission): The UGC is a statutory body that oversees university education in India. Its primary role is to coordinate, determine, and maintain standards of higher education. While it impacts teacher education at the university level, it does not directly prescribe qualifications for all school teachers.
(2) CTE (College of Teacher Education): A College of Teacher Education (CTE) is an institution that provides teacher training programs. It is a type of college, not a national regulatory body.
(3) NUEPA (National University of Educational Planning and Administration): Now known as NIEPA (National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration), it is a premier organization involved in capacity building and research in educational planning and administration. It is not a regulatory body for teacher qualifications.
(4) NCTE (National Council for Teacher Education): The NCTE is a statutory body established under the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993. Its main objective is to achieve planned and coordinated development of the teacher education system throughout the country, and it lays down norms and standards for various teacher education courses, including prescribing qualifications for school teachers. This perfectly aligns with the question.

Step 3: Conclude the correct national body.
The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) is the national body responsible for prescribing qualifications for school teachers in the Republic of India.