Soon, four-year integrated BEd course likely

SOUMITRA NANDI | MP | 3 April 2018 | Kolkata: West Bengal University of Teachers' Training Education Planning and Administration (WBUTTEP&A) is planning to introduce a 4 year integrated course on BA and BEd and BSc and BEd from the academic year 2018, that begins from July.

The university, popularly known as BEd University, is working on a war footing to finalise the syllabus and other necessary parameters for commencement of the integrated course.

It may be mentioned that till date, students have to pursue three year degree or pass courses in BA and BSc and then do a two year BEd course for taking up teaching in schools.

The integrated course will be of 4 years duration and will save a year for the students.

Moreover, once a student seeks admission in an institution for BA or BSc now, he/she can do BEd from the same place.

It is often found that students find it difficult to get admitted to BEd colleges after completing their degree course, due to the paucity of the number of seats in government and government-aided BEd colleges.

"We feel this course will surely give a new dimension to those who want to take up teaching as a career option," Soma Bandyopadhyay, vice-chancellor of WBUTTEP&A said.

The university will introduce the integrated course in phases in the different BEd colleges. "More than 10 colleges have written to us, stating that they have the infrastructure in place for starting this course," a senior university official said.

It has been learnt that WBUTTEP&A presently has as many as 413 colleges, including private BEd colleges under its aegis.

The university that had started functioning on January 2015 with the initiative of the Mamata Banerjee government, has ushered in a uniform curriculum at all the BEd institutions and has contributed in reducing the fake or unaffiliated BEd colleges in the state.

"BEd colleges in five districts – East and West Burdwan, Purulia, Bankura, and Birbhum are yet to come under WBUTTEP&A umbrella and we are working towards this," the official said.