India's Teachers to be Promoted Based on Performance, Not Seniority Alone

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The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has rolled out a new framework to assess and promote teachers based on their performance and competencies, rather than solely on seniority. The National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) aims to reshape the education sector by introducing a common guiding standard for teachers across India. The shift, aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, seeks to promote a culture of professionalism in teaching. The NPST framework outlines clear, measurable benchmarks for teaching quality and assesses teachers based on three broad standards: core values and ethics, knowledge and practice, and professional growth and development. Under the new norms, teachers will be required to register on a dedicated digital platform and progress through three career stages: proficient, advanced, and expert. Career progression will be assessed through a mix of self-assessment, documented professional evidence, and external evaluation. While some teachers and union leaders have expressed concerns about the new framework, others have welcomed the shift towards merit-based promotion. NCTE officials have assured that the rollout will be gradual, with a pilot phase running until March 2026, and that continuous support will be provided through the NPST portal. Experts have cautioned that implementation will determine the framework's success, and that assessments must be standardised to avoid excessive subjectivity. The NPST handbook defines clear guidelines for teachers, outlining the competencies required at each stage of expertise and the expectations from teachers at different levels of schooling. The NCTE aims to onboard all 10 million school teachers, including those from private schools, by 2030, and has planned five national conclaves and 30 regional and state-level workshops to onboard 25,000 teachers and principals from 2,500 schools.