From inspiring to imparting knowledge to students, Teachers are like gardeners who transform little buds into blooming flowers through their care and nourishment. They put in their everything to help their students grow, develop and make it big in life. Teaching is thus a profession that makes a difference to society by shaping the personality, character, and perspectives of future generations.
Whether you become a pre-school teacher or a college professor, you need to possess an engaging personality, patience, thorough subjective knowledge and excellent communication skills.
If you think you have what it takes, read on to know how you can become a Teacher in India.
How to Become a Teacher in India
In India, you can enter into teaching majors after 12th, Graduation, and Post-Graduation. At every level, different skills, abilities and qualifications are required.
Let’s discuss each in detail.
1. Pre-Primary School Teacher
Pre-Primary School Teachers deal with children of 3 to 5 years. They are the first contact children have when they step out of their home for the first time. Pre-primary school teachers thus play an essential role in helping them learn the most basic concepts that will form the base for the rest of their education. They introduce their young students to the elementary concepts of alphabets, numbers, and basic moral ideas (like right and wrong) through the means of storytelling, coloring, painting, singing, and other interesting mediums.
How to Become a Pre-Primary Teacher: You can pursue either of the two courses – Nursery Teachers Training (NTT) for 1 year or Diploma in Early Childhood Education (D.E.C.Ed.) for 2 years after class 12th.
Some Institutes in India for pursuing NTT: Indira Gandhi Institute of Advanced Education (New Delhi), INDOSS Polytechnic for Women (Delhi), Mahatma Gandhi College of Education, (Delhi), Raja Ram Mohan Roy Institute of Vocational Studies (Chandigarh) etc.
Some Institutes in India for pursuing D.E.C.Ed: State Council of Educational Research and Training (Delhi), University of Mumbai (Mumbai), Bombay Teachers’ Training College (Mumbai), etc.
2. Primary School Teacher
Primary School Teachers deal with children of 6 to 12 years. As a Primary School Teacher, you have to make students learn and experience new things in life that will shape their views and build their cognitive, verbal, numerical and reasoning skills. Instead of specializing in 1-2 subjects, you’ll be responsible for teaching them a broad range of concepts, including introducing them to sentences, computer, language, quizzes, interactive sessions, personality development, sciences, social sciences, life and social skills. Through this, you’ll develop some basic concepts and form the foundation that will stay with them throughout their lives.
How to Become a Primary School Teacher: You can pursue any one of the courses mentioned – Elementary Teacher Education (ETE) for 2 years, Bachelor’s in Elementary Education (B.El.Ed) for 4 years or Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) for 2 years.
Some Institutes in India for pursuing ETE: District Institute of Education and Training (Meghalaya), District Institute of Education Training (Bhopal), Ramakrishna Teacher Training Institute (New Delhi), etc.
Some Institutes in India for pursuing B.El.Ed: Lady Shri Ram College (Delhi), Gargi College (Delhi), Bansidhar Mahavidyalaya (Uttar Pradesh), Central Institute of Education (New Delhi), Aditi Mahavidyalaya (New Delhi) etc.
Some Institutes in India for pursuing D.El.Ed: District Institute of Education and Training (Tura), Primary Teachers Education College (Bhojpur) etc.
3. Secondary School Teacher
Secondary School Teachers are known as TGTs (Trained Graduate Teachers). They instruct students in classes 6th to 10th. As a Secondary School Teacher, you will be responsible for enhancing students’ knowledge and help them learn all the subjects in greater depth. In shaping the attitudes and intellect of these pre-teens and fresh teenagers, your work would range from delivering lessons in subjects such as social science, science, languages and mathematics, to teaching them time management, appropriate behavior, giving them feedback and criticism and supporting them through changes.
How to Become a Secondary School Teacher: You can pursue a Bachelor’s in Education (B.Ed) for 2 years after graduating from a teaching subject (non-professional, degree courses).
Some Institutes in India for pursuing a B.Ed: University of Delhi (Delhi), Banaras Hindu University (Varanasi), Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (Delhi), Department of Education (Banasthali University), Jaipur, etc.
4. Senior Secondary School Teacher
Senior Secondary School Teachers are known as PGTs (Post-Graduate Teachers) who teach in-depth on a particular subject they have completed their Master’s degree in. They instruct students from class 11th and 12th. As a Senior Secondary School Teacher, you’ll have to lecture and discuss concepts with students in detail, organize workshops/seminars for students, grade tests and conduct progress reports, prepare materials for class notes and presentations, and communicate students’ progress to parents.
How to Become a Secondary School Teacher: You need a Post-Graduation degree in a teaching subject (non-professional, degree courses) and a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree. You can pursue post-graduation in any discipline.
Please Note: You can appear for CTET (Central Teacher Eligibility Test) after completion of your B.Ed. Cracking CTET will help you become a teacher in schools under the Central Government (e.g: Kendriya Vidyalaya). You can also appear for STET (State Teacher Eligibility Test) cracking which will enable you to become a teacher in schools under State Governments.
5. Special Educator
In Special Schools, you work as a Special Educator. As a Special Educator, you have to deal with children with physical, emotional, and mental challenges and learning disabilities. You will work closely with their families to achieve the best educational outcome for them, teach them basic life and social skills for their personality development, and make them understand academic concepts through personalized one-to-one sessions.
How to Become a Special Educator: After your graduation, you need to pursue a Bachelor’s in Education (B.Ed.), specializing in Special Education.
Some Institutes in India for pursuing B.Ed. in Special Education: Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (Delhi), Indian Institute Of Health Education and Research (Bihar), Jamia Millia Islamia (New Delhi), Kurukshetra University (Kurukshetra), Banaras Hindu University (Uttar Pradesh) etc.
6. Lecturer/ Professor
The lecturers are designated as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor. As a Lecturer/ Professor, you have to give lectures on assigned topics, conduct academic research and assist students in doing their own research work. After completing a Master’s degree in your chosen field, you will have to appear for the UGC-NET examination.
The National Eligibility Test (NET) is conducted for determining the eligibility of Indian Nationals for Assistant Professorship or Junior Research Fellowship. The exam is conducted twice a year particularly in the month of June and November.
A teacher is an influencer, mentor, guide, parent, friend and most importantly a role model to look up to. A good teacher is like a candle, it consumes itself to light the way for others and no one can tell where their influence stops, for the impact they create lasts a lifetime. So, why not tread down the lane of teaching to impact the world and create a better-educated society to live in.