Attraction of DElEd persists in UP, 1.89 lakh take admissions this session

There has been no recruitment of teachers in government-run primary schools functioning under the Basic Education Council of UP in the past seven years, but despite that the attraction for Diploma in Elementary Education’s (DElEd) course, formerly known as Basic Training Certificate or BTC, persists in Uttar Pradesh, latest admission data shows.

As many as 1.89 lakh candidates have enrolled for the course in the admission process concluded on March 12 for the DElEd 2024 session, confirmed secretary of Exam Regulatory Authority, Anil Bhushan Chaturvedi.

This is when the advertisement for assistant teachers’ recruitment in primary schools has not come after 2018 and direct recruitment in upper primary schools is closed.

Data from the Prayagraj-headquartered Exam Regulatory Authority, UP shows that 3,25,440 candidates had applied for admission in the DElEd 2024 session.

The DElEd is a two-year diploma programme for candidates aspiring to become teachers in primary and upper primary schools.

The Examination Regulatory Authority gave admissions in District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) and private colleges this year till February 18, while admissions in minority institutions were allowed from March 2 to 12. Till the last date, 1,89,424 candidates have taken admission against the 2,39,500 seats, thereby, leaving over 50,000 seats vacant.

Record shows that out of 12,225 seats that were available in minority institutions, admissions have taken place against 9,460 seats.

Last year 1,92,759 candidates had taken admission.

In this session of 2024, candidates from other states were also given a chance for admission.

In case the candidates of reserved category (OBC/SC/ST/Special Reserved Category) not being available, admissions were done by converting the vacant seats of the said reserved category to unreserved/general category seats. Apart from candidates of Uttar Pradesh, all candidates of other states were considered as belonging to the unreserved category and such candidates were not given benefit of any kind of reservation.

According to experts, the craze for DElEd increased after the Supreme Court rejected the notification of National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) dated June 28, 2018, and ruled that only DElEd-trained candidates can participate in primary teachers’ recruitment process and not the BEd degree holders.

As a direct result of it, even the colleges in Uttar Pradesh, which had started showing a disinterest in running the course amidst dwindling applicants, have again started showing a renewed interest in running the course on their campuses.

Trainees believe that whenever recruitment comes, they will get the chance of bagging jobs in government-run primary schools.