The National Council for Teacher Education Act received the President assent and enacted by Parliament on 29th December, 1993. Earlier there was lack of organized and co-ordinated development of teacher education system prevails in India, need for advisory body for the Central and State Government persisted to deal with the matter relating to teacher education. Act enacted to provide for the establishment of a National Council for Teacher Education with a view to achieve the standards of teacher education system with well occupied and co-ordinated system. National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993 laid foundation by constituting Council to maintain the standards in the teacher education system and to look after other grievances of teacher
National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993 came into force by notification of Central Government in the Official Gazette it comprised of 34 Sections in brief and extends to entire India other than the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Under Section 3 of the Act there been a Council established and known as the National Council for Teacher Education, Council by previous approval of Central Government established its headquarters at Delhi and regional offices at other places in India to perform its functions laid under the Act. Council being a body corporate constituted under Act have perpetual succession and common seal to sue and to be sued by its name as specified. Council consists of 40 members with Chairperson as it head and Central Government has the responsibility to appoint the members who have knowledge and efficiency in performing the functions laid under the Act. Members of the Council by appointing chairperson as it head shall meet at least once in a year to observe rules, procedures and to take decisions which achieve the standards of teacher education system. If Chairperson is absent from presiding to meet, Vice-Chairperson shall preside at the meeting, important decisions and questions relating to the improving standards of Council be decided by the majority of votes in the meeting by the members of Council.
As council constituted with the objective of creating a coordinated development in the teacher education system, Council has prescribed functions under Section 12 of the Act for maintain standards in the teacher education system, functions of Council includes conducting surveys and implementing programmes which improve the standard of education, laying of certain guidelines to follow to educational institutions in respect of teacher training, guidelines regarding teacher educational qualification, fee structure of institutions, teacher development programmes. There been a execution authority initiated by the Council to look after the inspection procedure as specified under Section 13 of the Act, Council may cause inspection to any institution to find out the actual state of institution whether it been recognized or not, institution have to be associate with the inspection authorities and communicate all information connect there with, as all communications made to authority specified under Act, authority has duty bound to report the matter to the Council.
Every institution who has the wish or intends to offer a course in teacher education can make application to the regional committee as specified in Section 14 of the Act, every order of granting or refusing recognition of institution in teacher education be published in the Official Gazette and the same be communicated with State and Central Government. Regional Committee under the Act not only has the authority to deal with the of application of recognizing institution it also has authority to deal with Section 15 for granting permission for a new course or training by a recognized institution and every order of granting or refusing of new course in teacher education be published in the Official Gazette and the same be communicated with State and Central Government as specified in Section 15 (3). Regional Committee withdraw recognition under Section17 after granting the orders under Section 14 and 15. Any person can make appeal against the order of Regional Committee made under Section 14, 15 and 17 and Council may confirm or reverse the order of appeal.
There been a bodies of council established under the Act such as Executive Committee and Regional Committee to look after the proper functioning of Council althrough the State. No legal proceeding could be taken against Central Government, Council or Committees constituted as Act been enacted only in good faith to improve the standards of teacher education, but Central Government has role to give directions to Council regarding its functions and policies related to the teacher education. Council by notification in the Official Gazette as specified in Section 32 and 34 of the Act has power to make regulations and remove difficulties for maintaining coordination of bodies constituted under Council and Act.
Education been a part and parcel of our country which improves our standard of living, teacher education needs to be developed as academic of students depends on the academic of teachers. Development of teacher education needs a strong background; the Act by constituting the National Council for Teacher Education achieved the objective of coordinated development of the teacher education system throughout our country by proper maintenance of norms and standards in the teacher education system. Although the council constituted under the Act fulfilled the academic criteria of teacher education it failed to maintain the standards in teacher education by not standardizing the teacher education institutions.
by Priyadarshini Chandrasekar