4-year B.Ed course from next year: Javadekar

New Delhi, Feb 7 (IANS) The government is going to introduce a four-year Bachelor in Education (B.Ed) course from next year with an aim to improve the quality of teaching, Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said here on Thursday.

"We are going to launch a four-year integrated course from next year. The standard of teaching has gone down because it tends to be last option for those who join. This should be first choice. This should be a professional choice, not some leftover," Javadekar said while addressing principals of Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas on the second day of the two-day conference.

The B.Ed course, in works for over a year, will be conducted in three streams -- BA, B.Com and B.Sc. The curriculum has been reworked by the National Council for Teacher Education, a statutory body responsible for coordinating teacher education.

The course, when implemented, will save one year of aspirants' since they can join it right after their Class 12, against the current system of first doing graduation and then the two-year B.Ed.

The Minister also said 15-20 states will be conducting examination from Class 5 to 8 after the scrapping of the no-detention policy, a part of the Right to Education Act in January.

"We lost 10 years of education because of the no-detention policy. It was a mistake. But now, about 15-20 states will start conducting exams from this year," Javadekar said.

Twenty-five states supported the scrapping of the clause. An amendment was passed in both Houses of Parliament last month leading to the abolition of the clause that proscribed examinations for students from Class 5 to Class 8.