Union Minister for Education Shri Pralhad Joshi launched the six-month Certificate (Bridge) Course in Primary Teacher Education on September 16, 2026 in New Delhi. The course is specifically designed for in-service primary school teachers who hold a B.Ed. degree but lack D.El.Ed qualification, providing them a pathway to attain certification for teaching at primary level (Classes I-V).
The programme will be implemented through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and is designed as per the framework of National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). The course structure includes six theory courses and a school-based practicum, with at least 10 days of online contact classes and at least 20 days of school-based experience. The medium of instruction is Hindi and English, but teachers can write public examinations in any of the 22 scheduled languages listed in the Eighth Schedule.
This initiative follows the Supreme Court of India judgment dated April 8, 2024 in Civil Appeal No. 5068 of 2023 (Devesh Sharma Vs. Union of India and Ors.), which empowered NCTE to devise a bridge course for primary teachers appointed without D.El.Ed qualification. The course specifically targets teachers appointed between June 28, 2018 and August 11, 2023 whose appointments are protected under the NCTE Gazette Notification F. No. NCTE-Reg. 012/2018 dated June 28, 2018.
The course delivery utilizes Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode including contact programmes, school-based practicum (practice teaching, reflective journals, portfolios), video tutorials, e-learning materials, and digital platforms. Admission is conducted online through the NIOS official bridge course portal (https://bridge.nios.ac.in) where eligible teachers can register, upload required documents, and track admission status. All course material including self-learning material is provided in digital format with supplementary audio/video and interactive content.
The programme aims to equip teachers with child-centered, inclusive, and development-appropriate teaching practices, focusing on foundational learning principles. It promotes teaching as a dynamic, context-sensitive, and inquiry-based profession, aiming to strengthen the quality of education at foundational and primary stages while enabling teachers to cater to diverse learning needs of young children.