NCTE to Introduce One-Year Master of Education (M.Ed) Program from 2026

Patna: The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has announced the introduction of a one-year Master of Education (M.Ed) program, set to commence in the 2026-27 academic session. This decision follows the council’s recent move to revive the one-year Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) program.

Currently, the M.Ed program runs for two years, but applications for the one-year version will be invited from teacher training institutes in 2025. Once the new program begins, admissions to the two-year M.Ed course will cease. NCTE sources confirmed that the revamped syllabus for the one-year course will prioritise quality to meet contemporary challenges, aligning with the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The shorter M.Ed program will be open to candidates from diverse educational backgrounds, including those who have completed a one-year B.Ed, a two-year graduation-level teaching program, or a four-year Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP). This inclusive eligibility criterion ensures that students across all three pathways can benefit from advanced training under the revised structure.
The move comes after the University Grants Commission (UGC) issued new guidelines in June 2024 for postgraduate programs, based on the NEP 2020 recommendations.

High-Powered Committee to Develop Curriculum

In addition to the one-year M.Ed, NCTE is launching several specialised streams under the Integrated Teacher Education Program, including Yoga Education, Physical Education, Sanskrit, and Performing Arts Education. To oversee the development of a curriculum framework for these new courses, NCTE has formed an eight-member high-powered committee.

The committee’s mandate is to ensure that the curricula are designed to meet both national and global standards while addressing the evolving needs of the education sector. “Whether a student opts for a one-year, two-year, or four-year course, the quality of the programs should remain uniform,” said Professor Arora, emphasising the principle of equality in education.

By introducing these new initiatives, NCTE aims to modernise teacher training programs, equipping educators with the skills required to address the complexities of contemporary classrooms while maintaining excellence in teaching standards.