The Patna High Court has decreed that individuals holding a B.Ed degree are ineligible for consideration for primary school teaching positions within the state. Chief Justice K Vinod Chandran and Justice Rajiv Roy, comprising the division bench, stipulated that candidates possessing a Diploma in Elementary Education meet the eligibility criteria for primary school teaching roles, according to an official statement.
During the hearing of a series of petitions related to the appointments of primary teachers in 2021 and 2022, the bench declared, “The writ petitions are granted with the determination that the National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) notification dated June 28, 2018, is no longer valid and candidates with B.Ed qualifications cannot be deemed suitable for primary school teaching appointments. It is implicit that the previously made appointments will require reconsideration.”
Citing a recent order from the supreme court, the bench emphasised that only individuals with a diploma in elementary education are qualified for primary school teaching roles. The supreme court, in its order, pointed out that B.Ed degree holders lack the necessary pedagogical skills to effectively handle children. Consequently, the apex court nullified the 2018 NCTE notification that had designated B.Ed as the qualification criterion for primary teachers, the statement mentioned.
The high court bench, adhering to the supreme court’s decision under Article 141 of the constitution, remarked, “We are bound by the decision of the supreme court and so is the state.”
With inputs from PTI.