B.Ed Degree Not A Qualification For Primary School Teacher: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has upheld a judgment of the Chattisgarh High Court which quashed the appointment of B.Ed. Degree holders candidates as primary school teachers said that the essential qualification for such appointment is a Diploma in Elementary Education.
A batch of petitions was filed challenging the judgment of the Rajasthan High Court which held that for the appointment of primary school teachers, the essential qualification is D.El.Ed (Diploma in Elementary Education) and not B.Ed. (Bachelor in Education). In light of this judgment, a 2018 NCTE notification raised questions as B.Ed was notified as the eligibility for primary school teaching.
As per the Supreme Court, B.Ed degree holders did not pass the basic pedagogical threshold required for teaching primary classes and so can not provide ‘quality education to primary school children which is the right under Article 21A and the Right to Education Act, 2009.
Read also: CBSE Starts Registration Process For Class 10 And 12 Board Exams 2025
In April 2024, the Court said that those selected and appointed before Devesh Sharma’s judgment shall not be disturbed and the judgment pronounced in this case would be prospective.
The petition was filed to seek clarification on the Chattisgarh High Court judgment following the judgment in Devesh Sharma case. The Chattisgarh High Court on April 2, 2024 declared all candidates ineligible for primary school teachers after Diploma holders in elementary education challenged the eligibility of the B.Ed candidates.
The Supreme Court clarified that the Devesh Sharma judgment did not open any window for the eligibility of B.Ed. candidates.
The court also said “As we know when recruitment to the post of teachers was being made in Rajasthan, B.Ed. was a qualification for teachers as per the NCTE notification. The above observation made by us was only to affirm the findings of the Rajasthan High Court which had although held that B.Ed. was not a valid “qualification” for primary teachers, yet cautioned that the Government could not have ignored the notification of the NCTE till it was declared illegal by a Competent Court.”
Read also: How Canada’s Immigration Policies Impacting Indian Students?
The court held, “B.Ed. is not a qualification for a teacher in a Primary School. Moreover, this aspect has already been clarified in the order dated 08.04.2024, where only such candidates have been saved who were selected and appointed prior to our order dated 11.08.2023 in Devesh Sharma (supra).“
