Union Minister for Education, Shri Pralhad Joshi launched the six-month Certificate (Bridge) Course in Primary Teacher Education (PTE) on Sept 16, 2026 in New Delhi. The Course is tailored for in-service primary school teachers who hold a B.Ed. degree. It will serve as a critical pathway for such teachers to attain certification to teach at the primary level. This specialized professional development programme will provide comprehensive training to help teachers to develop the necessary skills and competencies to effectively educate learners at the primary level (I-V). 

The Bridge Course will be implemented through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and will equip teachers with child-centred, inclusive and development-appropriate teaching practices, strengthening the quality of education at the foundational and primary stages.

Designed as per the framework of National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), the Course will strengthen primary-stage pedagogical competencies through academic learning, at least 10 days of online contact classes and at least 20 days of school-based experience.

The Course will enable teachers to cater to the diverse learning needs of young children. Comprising six theory courses and a school-based practicum, the programme provides a robust framework to connect educational theory with classroom practice. The Bridge Course aims at empowering primary teachers with the skills, attitudes and reflective capacities necessary to ensure quality education and lifelong learning for all children in primary classrooms. It promotes a vision of teaching as a dynamic, context-sensitive, and inquiry-based profession. 

The Supreme Court of India vide judgement dated 08.04.2024 in Civil Appeal No. 5068 of 2023 titled Devesh Sharma Vs. Union of India and Ors., had empowered NCTE to devise a bridge course for those appointees who were appointed as primary teachers but did not have D.El.Ed qualification. Accordingly, the Bridge Course was designed for in-service primary school teachers appointed between 28 June 2018 to 11 August 2023 to teach at the primary level (Classes I-V) with a B.Ed. degree. This course is specifically intended for those teachers whose appointments are protected under the NCTE Gazette Notification F. No. NCTE-Reg. 012/2018 dated 28th June 2018. 

The programme includes both theoretical and practical components aimed at foundational learning principles. The medium of the instruction shall be Hindi and English languages. However, the teachers will be allowed to write the Public Examination (Theory) in any of the 22 scheduled languages listed in Eighth Schedule.  The Course will be delivered through an ODL mode of instruction. The Course will include contact programmes, school-based practicum (practice teaching, reflective journals, portfolios). video tutorial, e-learning materials, and digital platforms. This approach ensures that in-service teachers can actively engage with the course content while balancing their professional responsibilities. 

Admission to the Course will be online through the NIOS official-bridge course portal (https://bridge.nios.ac.in). Eligible teachers can register, upload required documents, and see the status of admission through the designated dashboard. All course material, including self-learning material, will be provided in digital format.  Teachers will have online access to supplementary resources such as audios/videos, interactive content to enhance their learning experience.

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