Despite High Court order, suspense over elementary edu course continues

Ravinder Saini

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Rohtak, March 23

Suspense still continues over the admission to the Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) course even after the Punjab and Haryana High Court recently termed the state government’s decision of discontinuing the course from session 2023-24 unsustainable. The High Court said it while hearing a petition filed by the Haryana Self-Finance Private Colleges’ Association (HSFPCA), a group of private institutions.

In a latest development, the HSFPCA has sent a representation to the Additional Chief Secretary (Elementary Education), urging him to direct the authorities concerned to initiate the admission process to the course. A copy of the representation has also been submitted with the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Gurugram, which conducted the counselling to fill the seats in the past.

Acting on the representation, the SCERT has also written to the Director (Elementary Education) in this regard. “We have received a copy of the court orders and the representation of the private colleges’ association regarding the D.El.Ed course. Therefore, the Director has been requested to inform us about further step into the matter,” Sunil Bajaj, Joint Director, SCERT, told The Tribune.

The state government, on 7 November, 2022, had decided to discontinue the D.El.Ed course in all Block Institutes of Teachers Education, Government Elementary Teachers Training Institutes and Private Self-Financed Colleges in the state from the academic session 2023-25 in consonance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

“The High Court has set aside the government’s decision while hearing our petition as it was contrary to the provisions of the National Council for Teachers’ Education (NCTE) Act. The D.El.Ed course is governed under the provisions of the NCTE act 1993. Hence, the NCTE is the only competent body to frame an opinion as to whether the D.El.Ed course is required to be discontinued,” said Satish Khola, president, HSFPCA.

He maintained there were a total around 20,000 seats for this two-year course in 345 self-financed institutes across the state. After the HC’s verdict, a large number of candidates wanted to take admission to the course. Hence, the authorities should now start the admission process without further delay, Khola added.

Further action sought

We have received a copy of the court orders and a representation from the private colleges’ association regarding the D.El.Ed course. Therefore, the Director has been requested to inform us about further step. — Sunil Bajaj, Joint Director, SCERT