International Education Leaders Rally to Save India’s B.El.Ed Programme

Published: April 23, 2025

International education scholars have appealed to the Indian government to retain the B.El.Ed programme, warning that its discontinuation would set back teacher education standards.

International education experts have issued an urgent appeal to the Indian government, urging it to retain the Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed) programme amid plans to phase it out starting in the 2026–27 academic year.

Prominent scholars from around the world—including Professor Michael Apple of the University of Wisconsin, Professor William Pinar of the University of British Columbia, and Professor Robin Alexander of the University of Cambridge—have written to Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, expressing deep concern over the proposed discontinuation of the four-year B.El.Ed programme. They argue that B.El.Ed is a cornerstone of teacher education in India and has played a crucial role in raising the professional status of elementary school teachers and improving the quality of classroom instruction for over three decades.

The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) recently released a draft policy calling for the transition from B.El.Ed to the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) as part of the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020. According to the proposal, no new students will be admitted to B.El.Ed from the 2026–27 session onward, and institutions will be expected to shift to ITEP frameworks, which feature expanded specialisations such as Yoga, Physical Education, Sanskrit Education, and Art Education.

International academics emphasized that the B.El.Ed programme is renowned for its excellence and that discontinuing it would be a regressive step for India’s education system. They advocate for building on the programme’s strengths rather than replacing it entirely, warning that such a move could undermine the progress made in elementary teacher training and educational outcomes across the country.

Many in India’s education community now await a response from the government as the NCTE’s draft regulations continue to draw intense scrutiny and debate among education professionals, both domestically and worldwide.