Message From Principal

A warm welcome to all of you.
In the words of honourable former President, a great visionary Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam “Scarcity of resources is not the cause of our problems but the problems originate in our approach towards them”. By 2050, the percentage of people above the age of 65 will be 39% in US, 53% in Germany and 67% in Japan and India will have only 19% above the age of 60. India thus has power in the form of youth energy. What we need to strengthen is the quality of education of our youth and to build our nation as Knowledge society. Whether a nation qualifies as knowledge society is judged by how effectively it deals with knowledge creation and knowledge deployment. As Vinoba (1981) puts it beautifully the quality of education is not to be measured by its length and breadth but only by its depth. What counts in study is its depth not extent.

I still remember the day Prof. C.M Bahl our mentor in Rayat- Bahra showed his concern even in his last days, about the major challenge in education today that is to maintain Quality, cost and expansion at the same time, cost effective and qualitatively standardized strategies are required in teaching – learning and evaluation process. We have to brainstorm and ponder a lot on this issue especially when we are aware that as per Times Higher Education world ranking of Universities 2011, no Indian University Found place in the top 200 ranks.

India is entering the global equipment market place with a self imposed handicap of which we are just beginning to become conscious of acute shortage of quality Institutions of higher education – (Shashi Tharoor). Higher education is facing extraordinary challenges of quality assurance around the world universities (strydom, Zule & Murray 2004). Hernard and Soleine (2008) define quality first as “Excellence” second as “value “third as “fitness for purpose” and fourth as “Transforming”. So, for assuring quality, we have to meet with minimum threshold of bringing and maintaining quality and undoubtedly by bringing it in the domains of fitness of the purpose so that it assures value as well as foolproof transformation.

The depth in quality of education can be ensured by quality assurance and excellence of teacher education program. The justice Verma commission on teacher education (2012) appointed by the Supreme Court has come out with recommendations realising that the present system of teacher preparation is keen deep in shortcomings and deficiencies. MHRD Union Government has identified quality teacher training as the key item in the 12th five year plan. Wisdom is a weapon to ward off destruction; it is an inner fortress which enemies cannot destroy. Thirukkural 421 (200 BC)

Teachers role is not mere limited to delivering knowledge but to educate mind for critical thinking and enabling mind to learn ” how to think “. It means opening the doors of the mind, cleansing the souls and realization of the self. (Pabla, 2011). The changing face of teaching has moved away from didacticism to learning facilitation and with this is the need for facilitators to play crucial role by using desirable innovative techniques in teaching learning process. (Griffin 2002, Jarvis, 2002). As Great achievements come from doing what we love and loving what we do. (Vaid, 2010). Learning does not involve mere discovering the reality, but constructing the reality too. Implementing school internship programme as per NCFTE 2010 & NCTE recent curriculum modification of teacher education program adopted by universities it is suggested that four days a week for a maximum period of 12-20 weeks including one week of classroom observation of a regular teacher, visit to innovative centres of pedagogy and learning and classroom based research projects are to be included in the teacher preparation programme. Students are to be encouraged to work and learn in teams. Group presentations should be encouraged. Exchange of creative ideas based on experimental learning is to be a part of routine learning.

For the Preparation of reflective teachers, field based, process based and observation based assignments are to be included. Personal experience of student- teachers is to be placed at centre stage. Preparing daily report books during internship in schools that will not be descriptive in nature rather reflective in nature will be a part of internship assignments. Problem solving approach through real life situations has its own value addition. So flexible learning is to be encouraged. More emphasis is to be given on simulated teaching and micro teaching in order to facilitate role perception among student teachers. Extensive activities and outreach programmes are to be enhanced. Learner engagement is the key to learning success. Thus today the changed role of a teacher from teacher to facilitator demands his/her innovativeness and creativity to devise number of ways to engage the pupil, enable him to explore and induce higher order thinking skills and problem solving ability among the learners.

Thus, minimum threshold of quality parameters in terms of faculty, students, infrastructure, facilities and opportunities have to be made assured first after which we need to excel in this field if we dream our nation to qualify as knowledge society and be the only one by strengthening our youth power by 2050.