The students enrolled in teacher education programmes recognised by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) will be mandatorily required to teach five to eight non-literate adults and help them obtain literacy certification under the Centre’s ULLAS scheme (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society)- Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram or New India Literacy Programme (NILP) scheme, with their academic credits linked to the successful certification of the learners, according to new guidelines released by the Union education ministry.
The ‘Guidelines for Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) under ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram,’ launched by minister of state for education Jayant Chaudhary on October 28, make participation in the adult literacy programme mandatory for student teachers enrolled in NCTE-recognised courses, including Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.), Bachelor of Physical Education (B.P.Ed.), Masters of Education (M.Ed.), Masters of Physical Education (M.P.Ed.), Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed.) and the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP).
Acknowledging ULLAS’s role in promoting adult literacy and restoring learners’ dignity and confidence, Chaudhary said the “new guidelines would enable student teachers to play a vital role in empowering the nation.”
envisages a wider volunteer network comprising students from schools and higher education institutions, teachers, members of civil society organisations, community members, housewives, Anganwadi workers and volunteers associated with MY Bharat, NSS and NCC, the new guidelines specifically mandate the participation of student teachers enrolled in recognised TEIs While the scheme since its beginning in April 2022. Student teachers, in this context, are individuals pursuing pre-service teacher education courses in NCTE-recognised colleges and universities. They will be required to register as Volunteer Teachers (VTs) under ULLAS and undertake adult literacy teaching as part of their teacher education programme. The guidelines make it clear that participation in ULLAS alone will not qualify student teachers for academic credits. FLNAT is conducted twice a year. Student teachers will have to help learners build confidence to appear in the FLNAT and ensure their participation in the assessment. They will also document their teaching experience through learner profiles, assessment records, progress reports and geo-tagged photographs of their interactions with learners.
“The NCTE is expected to provide regulatory and academic direction by embedding ULLAS within teacher education programmes, including appropriate credit or equivalent marks or grades linkages,” the guidelines state. The 32-page guidelines, seen by HT, state that “all student-teachers enrolled in NCTE recognised Teacher Education Programmes must act as Volunteer Teachers (student-teacher) under ULLAS”. “Credits or equivalent grades/marks shall be awarded to student-teachers (VTs) only after the learners assigned to them successfully appear in FLNAT and are certified as Literate under ULLAS,” they state.
