Delhi High Court directs NCTE to take steps to enable institutions to start Integrated Teacher Education Programme in 2022-23 [Read Order]

The Delhi High Court has directed the National Council for Teacher's Education (NCTE) to process in a timely manner the applications by institutions seeking recognition for Integrated Teacher Education Programmes (ITEP) so as to enable these institutions to commence ITEP in the academic session 2022-23. (Himalayan University & Ors. Vs. National Council for Teacher's Education).The Court was dealing with petitions filed by five institutions that were aggrieved by the NCTE's decision to defer the start of ITEP in so far as the academic years 2020-21 and 2021-22 were concerned..Following the NCTE's decision, the applications of around 3,000 institutions seeking ITEP recognition were returned along with the application fee. .In dealing with the case, Justice Prateek Jalan acknowledged that the scope of court interference when it comes to policy decisions in academic matters may be limited. All the same, the Judge opined that the matter cannot be left hanging indefinitely. ."However I am of the view that the matter cannot be left undecided for an indefinite period", he observed..The Court went on to direct:."Whatever decision the NCTE wishes to take should be taken in time, so that the processing of the petitioners’ applications for the academic session 2022-23 can be concluded. If necessary, the NCTE will process the petitioners’ applications in anticipation of the decision and subject to the petitioners’ compliance with any changes in the regulatory regime. It is made clear that it is for the NCTE to take a call on the question as to whether the institutions are to be granted permission or not. The present directions are for processing of the applications in terms of the applicable regulatory regime to enable the institutions to commence the ITEP in the academic session 2022-23, if found compliant.".The Court has directed the petitioner-colleges to comply with the directions of the NCTE for consideration of their applications for the academic session 2022-23 and to deposit the application fees upon NCTE's direction as and when required..The Court added that the order would be applicable not only to the five institutions that had filed petitions in the matter. Rather, the Justice Jalan has directed that the present order be intimated to all 3,000 colleges that had originally applied for ITEP recognition.."As applications for 3000 institutions were returned by virtue of the policy decision dated 25.01.2021, the NCTE will implement the aforesaid directions in respect of all those institutions, rather than compelling each one of them to approach the Court. The NCTE will notify the institutions concerned, to whom the policy decision dated 25.01.2021 was made applicable, of the contents of this order", stated the order..The Court recounted that the NCTE had invited applications for ITEP through the issuance of a public notice in 2019. .The NCTE had taken the decision to defer the ITEP on January 25, this year. The Court was told that the deferral of ITEP was necissitated due to the framing of the National Education Policy, 2020, which lays down certain pre-conditions for the introduction of the ITEP..The Court opined that the NCTE should have invited applications only after due deliberation with regard to the necessary equipment, infrastructure and regulatory environment..The Court went on to observe that various colleges that had applied for recognition had invested time and money in setting up their institutions. .While those applications have been returned, the applicants have lost the academic sessions 2020-21 and 2021-22 in the process, the Court further noted. It went on to direct the NCTE to take a decision on the required infrastructure or any other aspect, so that the applications can now be considered for the academic session 2022-23..NCTE was represented by its Standing Counsel, Shivam Singh. Advocate Amitesh Kumar represented the petitioner institutions..[Read Order]