Mumbai: More than three students will compete for each BEd seat in the state this year.
With the total number of aspirants crossing the 1 lakh mark, the state’s common entrance test (CET) for BEd has witnessed a record number of registrations this year. While over 1.4 lakh students registered for the entrance test so far, 1.2 lakh confirmed by paying the fees. This is a nearly 50% rise compared with the previous year—even as the total intake capacity in BEd colleges until last year was only about 36,500.
BEd college pricipals said many are now interested in the profession due to mushrooming international schools, and many others are also queuing up to get the degree as there is uncertainty over expected changes in the BEd programme with regards to the National Education Policy 2020. The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has announced the re-introduction of the one-year BEd programme. In the meantime, the Integrated Teacher Education Programme has also been introduced by the council, but there is no clarity on when the state will adopt it. With uncertainty over changes, there could be a rush to complete the degree this year, said some principals.
A BEd college principal said aspirants could be worried about changes in the BEd programme in the future. “Since there is no concrete information on the proposed changes, candidates could rush to get their degree. The one-year BEd will be open only to candidates who completed their four-year undergraduate degree under the NEP. There is also no clarity on how many colleges will offer the four-year integrated teacher education programme as many are on the fence about it. Candidates are also wondering if the four-year degrees will make all other current degrees redundant. There is a possibility, therefore, that candidates want to complete their degrees as early as possible and not get stuck with the changes in the policy. There is also a lot of uncertainty on what the schools will expect in their recruitment process after the changes,” said the principal, adding there are a lot of assumptions right now.
Anushree Patil (39), a BEd aspirant, said she is an MBA graduate and an HR professional but decided to switch to teaching last year. “I have been teaching in a school, and wanted to complete the degree for better prospects,” said Patil. Another aspirant also said she completed her master’s and wanted to get into teaching. Teachers said every year about 5-6% of aspirants are from the corporate sector looking for a career switch.
Some colleges in the state face difficulty in filling seats, but with the rise in demand this year, it is unlikely that they will face any dearth. Many working students are also opting for BEd alongside their jobs and prefer colleges that are lenient with attendance. A CET cell official said it is difficult to assess the reason behind the rush for the course at this stage. About 10-15% of aspirants fail to confirm their registration by not paying the fees, but this time around 1.15 lakh have confirmed it.