CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK:

TWO-YEAR M.ED. PROGRAMME

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR TEACHER EDUCATION

Hans Bhawan (Wing-II),
1, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg,
New Delhi-110 002
www.ncte-india.org
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum |2

Snapshot of the Two-Year MEd Programme Structure

(As Approved in the NCTE Recognition Norms and Procedures, 2014)

The 2-year M.Ed. programme is designed to provide opportunities for students to extend as
well as deepen their knowledge and understanding of Education, specialise in select areas,
and also develop research capacities, leading to specialisation in either elementary education
or secondary education.

Programme Structure:
While conceptualising the credit apportions, the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS)
proposed by UGC should be adopted. The proposed programme follows the following
organisation and credit apportionment format:
Year 1: 16 – 18 weeks * 2 semesters + 3 weeks in summer
Year 2: 16 – 18 weeks * 2 semesters + 3 weeks in inter-semester breaks
Total: 16 – 18 weeks * 4 semesters = 64 – 72 weeks; + 6 weeks for field immersion during
inter-semester breaks = 70 – 78 weeks. Apart from the 6 weeks in the various inter-semester
breaks, 7 weeks should be allocated to the field immersion. Each year should have a total of
at least 200 working days exclusive of admissions and exam period.

The MEd Sub-Committee has outlined a model that has 80 credits1 in total: 44 for core
courses, 20 credits for specialisations, 8 credits for field internship (4 credits in a teacher
education institution and 4 in the area of specialisation), and 8 credits for research leading to
dissertation. Put differently, the curriculum will have core courses (which shall have about
60% of credits) and specialisation courses and dissertation with about 40% of credits.

Critical reflection on gender, disability and marginalisation should cut-across the courses
in core and specialisations. Similarly skills pertaining to ICT and educational technology
should be integrated in various courses in the programme. The taught courses will also have
practicum components including workshops [even on aspects that go beyond theory courses
such as self-development for mental and physical well being through modalities such as
yoga, etc.], seminar and other field-based activities that supplement teaching-learning.

1
Each credit in a taught course is equated to one hour of teaching or two hours of seminars/ group work/ tutorial/ laboratory
work/ practical work/ field-work/ workshop per week for 16 weeks. Thus, a 4-credit course entails 4 hours of regular
teaching per week or as much as 8 hours of teaching and other programme activities.
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum |3

A picture of the organisation of the programme is given below and its components are briefly
described in the subsequent table. These are explained in deatil in the Section 3 of the Report
that follows.

Core within
Elementary
Specialisation
Elementary School
Stage Specific
Specialisation Further Specialisation in
any 1 Thematic Cluster:
(Taught Courses +
Practicum = 20 Credits, a. Curriculum, Pedagogy
and Assessment; b.
Internship = 4 Credits,
Policy, Economics and
and Dissertation = 8
Planning; c.
Credits)
Administration,
Common Core Management and
(Perspectives, Tools, Leadership; d. Inclusive
Teacher Education) Education; etc.
(Taught Courses &
Practicum = 44
Credits; and Internship
= 4 Credits) Core within Secondary
Specialisation
Secondary School
Stage Specific
Specialisation
(Taught Courses +
Practicum = 20 Credits,
Internship = 4 Credits, Further Specialisation in
and Dissertation = 8 any 1 Thematic Cluster:
Credits) a. Curriculum, Pedagogy
and Assessment; b.
Policy, Economics and
Planning; c.
Administration,
Management and
Leadership; d. Inclusive
Education; etc.
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum |4

The curriculum of the two-year M.Ed. programme will comprise of the following
components:
Major Areas Covered Description Suggested
Components Credit
Allocation
Common Perspective, 1. Perspective Courses in the areas of: Perspective:
Core Tool, and Philosophy of Education, Sociology- 24 Credits;
(Theory and Teacher History-Political Economy of Education, Tool
Practicum Education Psychology of Education, Education Courses: 12
included) Courses Studies, and Curriculum Studies. Credits;
2. Tool Courses comprising basic and Teacher
advanced level education research, academic Education: 8
writing and communication skills; Credits;
educational technology and ICT; self (excluding 4
development (with focus on gender and credits for
society, inclusive education and mental and field
physical well-being through modalities such internship)
as yoga)
3. Teacher Education Courses (which are
also linked with the field internship/
immersion/attachment in a teacher education
institution) shall also be included in the core.
Specialisatio Courses in any The Specialisation branches in one of the 20 Credits
n Branches one of the school stages: Elementary (upto VIII), or, (excluding 4
(Theory and school secondary and senior secondary (VI to XII), credits of
Practicum levels/areas each with: field
included) (such as 1. Core courses, within attachment)
elementary, or elementary/secondary specialisation,
secondary and focussing on mapping the area
senior 2. Specialisation/elective clusters in
secondary) and thematic areas pertinent to that stage, such
further thematic as: Curriculum, pedagogy and assessment;
specialisations. Policy, economics and planning;
Educational management and
administration; Education for differently
abled; Education Technology, etc.
Internship/ Teacher Field internship/attachment in: 8 Credits (4
Field Education 1. A Teacher Education Institution, and Credits each)
Attachment Institution + 2. The area of specialisation
Related to
specialisation
Research Related to Students (in close mentoriship of a faculty 8 Credits
leading to specialisation/ member) learn to plan and conduct a
Dissertation foundations research, and write a thesis.
80 Credits
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum |5

Section 1: Conceptual Framework

This section of the Report serves as the context or the rationale for the recommendations of
the Sub-Committee. It first presents the main recommendations of the JVC Report in the
context of the post-graduate professional programme for preparation of professional
practitioners education. Based on these recommendations, the highlights of the review of the
Model MEd syllabus, developed by NCTE (and presented to this Sub-Committee for review
as per JVC recommendations) has been presented. This is followed by a brief note on the
conceptual basis of the programme proposed by the Sub-Committee.

2.1. Recommendations of JVC Report and NCFTE 2009, and Review of the Model MEd
Syllabus developed by NCTE
As explained in Section 1 of the report, the recommendations of the Sub-Committee are
situated in the context of JVC recommendations, and NCFTE, 2009. In the process of
developing the curriculum framework, the Sub-Committee etched out the essential features of
a programme that is being imagined in the NCFTE and JVC. These include:
1. Stage specificity in training for various school levels and overcoming the hierarchies
between the various levels.
2. Two year MEd programme or longer integrated models.
3. A framework (along with a rationale for) for defining the conception of a professional
programme in education (in terms of what makes it different from a liberal programme).
NCFTE states, “[MEd] is also indistinguishable from the 2-year M.A. in Education
(considered a programme of liberal, academic study of education) because in actual course
design and content, the two do not differ on any sound academic rationale.” (p. 79).
4. A logical framework of core courses and specialisation streams that train entrants for the
various professional roles including teacher educators, specialists in foundations of education,
curriculum developers, policy makers, administrators and the like.
5. A logical balance between theory and field exposure.
6. A greater emphasis on the mastery over the content areas taught at school level.

In the light of the above recommendations, the review the 1-year MEd syllabus developed by
the NCTE indicates that it does not adhere to the spirit of the NCFTE and JVC in the context
of the following:
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- The NCTE model syllabus is for a 1-year MEd programme and therefore does not
adhere to the JVC’s and NCFTE’s (2009) recommendation for a move towards longer
duration models.
- There is a skew in the programme contents and design in the favour of psychology
and research methods courses at the cost of other critical areas.
- Given that the entrants of the MEd programme would be drawn from longer duration
first degree programmes in education, the contents of the courses seem to be basic.
- The various components of the syllabus and the course outlines are not fleshed out in
terms of the rationale, focal concerns, modality, and approach. For example, the
dissertation component does not explain the vision with which it has been included in
the programme, how it has been integrated in the design, how it would be structured,
etc.
- The course rubrics are also problematic. For example: “Pedagogy of science
education”.
How the model syllabus locates itself in the context of the contemporary teacher education
scenario in the country also does not come across from the document.

In this context, it emerged from the deliberations of the Sub-Committee that it would be
essential to formulate a framework for a 2-year Masters in Education programme that is
located in the concerns that JVC and NCFTE are addressing.

2.2. The Context of the Recommendations

This section of the report presents the conceptual basis on which the 2-year MEd programme
framework (outlined in the subsequent section) is based. It revolves around three questions:
What is the character/nature of professionalisation in education? In a situation when the very
domain of education is contested, can there be a generally accepted basis to define the
domain and the concerns therein? In the context of these, what are the major concerns (or
objectives) of the programme structure proposed in the Report?
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum |7

2.2.1. Nature of Professionalisation in Education

How is the domain of education constituted and what is the rationale for a professional
training in education?
Education is a complex organisation or arrangement of a large variety of elements facilitating
the process of student learning which is core to this entire enterprise. Facilitation of learning
happens essentially through teaching. Although there are several elements like curriculum,
textbooks, school organisation and so on, providing a context to as well as actively
supporting teaching, the role of the teacher of actually engaging with learners in a live, real-
time context, is undoubtedly central to the facilitation process. Teaching is a complex process
that presupposes on the part of the teacher both professional skills as well as conceptual and
theoretical perspectives to locate these in. Professional preparation and continuing
professional development of teachers in turn needs teacher educators who are themselves
professional teachers and who have, through a process of critical scrutiny of theory, critical
reflection on practice as well as doing research, deepened their understanding of the larger
societal factors that circumscribes the context and scope of the core education processes, the
nature and structure of knowledge that the learners construct and develop and the dynamics
played out in the psychic and social world of the learners. MEd is the context of professional
training of teacher educators. Therefore, the programme needs to provide for and facilitate
the above mentioned deepening of understanding and critical reflection though both critical
comprehension of theory as well as hands-on reflective practice.

What makes a professional programme professional and how is it different from a liberal
programme? What are the distinct features of education (if any) vis-à-vis the other
professional domains?
Professional programmes have certain distinct elements over and above those of liberal
programmes. Therefore, in addition to critical comprehension of theory and collective
reflections, exploratory readings, and inquiry through research, both theoretical and
empirical, which are elements of good liberal programmes, professional programmes have a
distinct additional emphasis on hands-on and field-based experiences, deep and protracted
reflective practice, development of competencies and skills, particularly those related to
practice of the profession, and inculcation of ethical principles that characterise the
profession. Professional training in education in this sense would be constituted by the above
features that are common to most of the professional fields.
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum |8

However, while there is a utility in drawing parallels between education and other
professional fields like engineering and law, there are limits to these comparisons. There are
certain specific kinds of expectations from the professionals in education that are distinct
from those in other professions. In more apparent ways, this is because education demands a
training in pedagogy of school subjects, which itself requires a deeper engagement with the
epistemological bases of the cognate disciplinary areas. In addition education demands a
greater integration of the contributing disciplines. For example, say, a 101 course in
Mathematics in an engineering curriculum can simply be a mathematics course; but a
foundation course in education is a “sociology or philosophy or psychology of education”
course, which plays a constitutive role.

2.2.2. Education as a Domain and the Thrusts of the MEd Programme

In a situation when the very domain of education is contested, can there be a generally
accepted basis to define the domain and the concerns therein?
There is an ongoing debate about the status of education as an area of knowledge or
discipline. Largely irrespective and independent of this debate, there is a consensus about the
professional status of teaching and other supportive processes like educational administration,
curriculum design, textbook development, educational evaluation and so on. It follows
logically therefore that preparation of educators to engage with these processes is itself an
exercise of professional preparation. It is important to differentiate between the two major
components that constitute preparation of educators and their continuing professional
development, viz., the domain of perspective building and the domain of competence
development. While one must acknowledge the contributions of the various foundational
areas in the perspective building exercise, it must be emphasised that the essence of
professional preparation as educators is reflective practice involving hands-on engagement
with the core processes of education.

In the context of the above stated questions, what are the major concerns (or objectives) of
the programme structure proposed in the Report?
The major thrust of the MEd programme would be professional preparation of teacher
educators who would through this process be equipped with the knowledge and competencies
to facilitate and conduct initial preparation and continuing professional development of
teachers. They would need to be necessarily equipped with the core competencies and
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum |9

knowledge related to teacher education, its philosophical underpinnings, organisation,

methodology, and so on. They would also need to specialise in one or the other of such areas
as – curriculum, pedagogy and assessment; policy and economics; leadership, administration
and organisation; early childhood education; secondary education; and the like. In addition,
they should have a coherent perspective – socio-historical, political-economic, philosophical,
and psychological – to make sense of education – its policies, systems, institutions, practices
and processes. The programme should aim at developing in teacher educators skills related to
independent study of literature, research, academic writing, professional communication and
team work. It should also endeavor to develop in the future practitioners a deep and critical
awareness of professional ethics and an ability to critically engage in and reflect on practice.
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 10

Section 2: MEd Programme Structure

3.1. Entry Level Expectations and Qualifications
3.1.1. Expectations from the First Degree
- Adequate content knowledge at par with a bachelors degree in a school subject area
- School experience
- Initiation in the foundations of education and pedagogic studies
- Familiarity with contemporary context of education

3.1.2. Entry Qualifications

The universities offering MEd programme should stipulate the minimum eligibility marks at
par with what is practiced in the university in other professional and post-graduate
programmes. It is essential that an entrance exam (which may include a written test and an
interview) is conducted for selection of the students. The applicants for entrance test should
be drawn from the following programmes:
a. BEd degree of 1 or 2 years duration, or
b. 4 year integrated teacher education degree programme (BElEd/ BScEd/ BAEd), or
c. DElEd/ DEd with a bachelors degree (BA/BSc/BCom, etc.)2
Since teacher education is a praxis based field of study, it is desirable that teacher educators
have a teaching experience. In this context, it is recommended that possibilities that
encourage working teachers to join MEd are explored. Thus, teaching experience may also be
a desirable entry requirement for the programme. Institutions offering the programme may
assign suitable weightage to prior teaching experience in the process of selecting the
candidates.

A first masters degree is not mandatory for entry in the MEd programme. However, for
certain kinds of specialisations such as for senior secondary levels, institutions offering the

2
Note: The 2-year MEd assumes content/domain knowledge of the entrants at the level of graduate. Wherever it
is found to be lacking, institutions may add bridge courses for the same. The Sub-Committee acknowledges that
there may be different perspectives on whether or not diploma in education can be considered equivalent to the
qualifications mentioned in points 1 and 2. While the equivalence or non-equivalence needs to be established by
a review of the two kinds of teacher preparations, it can be said that in the current scenario the one year degree
in education is also not of satisfactory quality. Also, the 2-year diploma will gradually be phased out after the
JVC recommendations are implemented. In this context, the members agreed that if the 2-year diploma holders
have completed their bachelors degree study in sciences/humanities/social sciences before or after the diploma,
then they may be considered to be qualified to enter the programme.
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 11

programme may decide to add a first masters degree in the essential qualifications. The
decision, for not making a first masters degree an essential qualification for entry, was taken
in view of the following:
a. Minimum qualifications do not debar entrants with higher degrees from applying to and
entering the programme
b. Since MEd is a post-graduate programme which requires candidates to have a first
degree in education as well, to ensure that it attracts good graduates it is essential to keep
the total duration of study viable.
c. This also gives candidates an opportunity to choose their areas of masters after MEd.
This would enable the graduates of the MEd programme to make more informed choice
of the discipline in which they would want to pursue their second masters (MA/ MSc
etc.).
It is presumed that the candidates who have specialised at a particular school level (ECE,
elementary/ secondary/ senior secondary) will continue in the same stream while pursuing
MEd with specialisation in school based levels.

3.2. Structure for the 2-year MEd Programme

3.2.1. Programme Structure
The proposed framework should not be seen as prescriptive by various institutions which will
offer MEd programmes. While the spirit of the recommendations must be retained, these
should not come in the way of innovations by universities. The proposed programme follows
the following organisation and credit apportionment format:
- Year 1: 16 – 18 weeks * 2 semesters + 3 weeks in summer
- Year 2: 16 – 18 weeks * 2 semesters + 3 weeks in inter-semester breaks
- Total: 16 – 18 weeks * 4 semesters = 64 – 72 weeks; + 6 weeks for field immersion
during inter-semester breaks = 70 – 78 weeks; Apart from the 6 weeks in the various
inter-semester breaks, 7 weeks should be allocated to the field immersion.
The Sub-Committee has outlined a model that has 80 credits in total: 44 for core courses, 20
credits for specialisations, 8 credits for field internship (4 credits in a teacher education
institution and 4 in the area of specialisation), and 8 credits for research leading to
dissertation. The taught courses will also have practicum component. Each credit in a taught
course is equated to one hour of teaching or two hours of seminars/ group work/ laboratory
work/ field-work/ workshop per week for 16 weeks. Thus, a 4-credit course entails 4 hours of
regular teaching per week or as much as 8 hours of teaching and other programme activities.
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 12

While conceptualising the credits the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) proposed by UGC
should be adopted.
Programme Structure for 2-year Full-Time MEd: 4 semesters+ 1 summer; 80 credits

Modality (e) Taught (f) Practicum/ (g) Internship (h) Research

Workshop/ Seminar Project
Components
(a) Perspectives Sociology-History-Political Economy
24 credits (8 credits); Philosophy of Education (4
(e+f) credits); Curriculum Studies (4 credits),
Introduction to Education Studies3 (4
credits), Psychology of Development
and Learning (4 credits)

(b) Tools Research Methods (Introductory and

12 credits advanced levels adding-up to 8 credits);
Communication skills (including ICT),
Expository Writing, and Academic
Writing (3 credits); Self Development
(focus on: gender and inclusive
education, and mental-physical well
being including Yoga) (1 credit)
(c) Teacher Institutions, Systems and Structures; 4 credits in a
Education Conceptual basis of Teacher Education; TE institution
12 credits TE Curriculum, Policy and Practice;
(e+f+g) Continuing Professional Development
and In-Service TE. [Total: 8 credits]
8 credits
(d) Choice between Elementary (upto Class 4 credits based (preferably in
Specialisations VIII) or Secondary and Senior on the choice specialization
24 credits Secondary (Classes VI to XII) Levels of area or in
(e+f+g) [or Early Childhood Education, or specialisation foundations)
Higher Education], each having: cluster
1. Core courses within
elementary/secondary stage, and
2. Theme based electives: Curriculum,
Pedagogy and Assessment; Policy,
Economics, Administration and
Leadership; Inclusive Education;
Education Technology; etc.
(20 Credits for both the components)
Total Credits = 64 + 8 = 72 8
80 (e+f+g+h)

3
This course will be aimed at introducing education as a phenomenon and as a field of study with a body of
knowledge.
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 13

The above progromme structure is explained in the section below. First the various
components of the programme structure (perspectives, tools, teacher education and
specialisations) are discussed. This is followed by a discussion on the proposed modality of
transacting these (taught, workshop/seminar/practicum, internship and dissertation).

3.2.2. Components of the Programme Structure

a) Perspective Courses
The main thrust of the MEd programme is visualised as a professional programme to prepare
teacher educators; however in the current developing scenario in education it should also
cater adequately to academic pursuits like curriculum and textbook development, research,
policy analysis, and educational administration. The profession of the teacher educator has to
be visualised keeping this broadened view of a teacher educator. There are many
characterisations of a profession, some emphasising socio-political aspects of it and others
keeping academic aspects at the centre. One such characterisation of profession that is
adequate from academic perspective is provided by Downie in Professions and
Professionalism, Journal of Philosophy of Education, Vol, 24, No. 2, 1990. This framework
can be used to visualise profession of teacher education; without prejudice to other
characterisations as the central points made in them have a very substantial overlap. What
Professor Downie calls “ideal characteristics” of a profession emphasise the following
(paraphrased):
1. Skill or expertise based on broad knowledge base.
2. Service provided with a relationship characterised by desire to help and with a sense
of integrity, and authorised by an institutional body.
3. Entails duty to speak on matters of public policy, going beyond duties to specific
clients and jobs.
4. Independence of influence of state and commerce.
5. Educated and not merely trained.
6. Moral and legal legitimacy depends on the satisfaction of the criteria 1 to 5 above.
Expertise emanating from broad base of knowledge and understanding, skill and judgment
being guided by theoretical considerations, public function, integrity and independence of
professional judgement are generally accepted as necessary characteristics of a profession.

Teacher education as a profession might have some special characteristics of its own as far as
the required knowledge base is concerned. In, say, engineering a knowledge base of science,
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 14

abilities specific to engineering and situating the profession in the society may be enough.
But teacher education as a profession may additionally demand:
i. Certain knowledge of pedagogy to help others acquire knowledge and capabilities.
ii. A general perspective on society, social needs and concerns and well-being of human
beings will also be essential to be an educator.
iii. A wider understanding of human knowledge, an idea of epistemic structure of
disciplines other than one’s own also will be necessary for a teacher educator to
situate her own work in the curriculum, and educational perspective.
iv. In depth and breadth of understanding education of teacher educators will have to
match liberal studies otherwise it would be restrictive and further development of
knowledge by the teacher educator himself/herself will be impaired.
All this leads to the need of a robust theoretical perspective on education in general and
teacher education in particular. What constitutes an adequate theoretical basis for such a
perspective is a difficult question. One, because almost everything in the society and all
branches of human knowledge might be seen as required for education. But no curriculum
can aspire to teach everything. Therefore, a reasonable basis for deciding the extent of
theoretical basis and a criterion for selection is needed. Two, disciplinary knowledge that is
supposed to form an adequate perspective on education itself often approached in a manner
that pulls the student in different directions and rather than helping in the formation of a
coherent understanding leads to fragmentation and confusion. Therefore, curriculum planning
for perspective, together with a criterion for adequacy, also requires a principle of unity.

One possibility of such a principle of unity is provided by acceptance of ‘intentional teaching

and learning’ as the core of education, be that at the primary or university level. All that helps
in developing a vision of intentional teaching-learning, its critique, issues involved in it and
development of judgment to resolve those issues and answer those questions can be seen as
the core of educational perspective. Education, intentional or otherwise, however, always
happens in a socio-political and historical context and requires institutional basis for its
continuity.

The fundamental questions for intentional education in this sense can be seen as: why is it
needed? Answering this would require an articulation of educational aims. What needs to be
taught to achieve those aims? An adequate answer to this can only be in the form of criteria
for selection of knowledge, values and skills; that is criteria for selection of knowledge for
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 15

curriculum, and how the teaching should be done (which will demand criteria for an
acceptable pedagogy, see here as including assessment). For an adequate perspective for
teacher education one has to pose these questions both at the school level as well as at the
teacher education level.

The obvious disciplines that might directly contribute to such a perspective seem to be:
philosophy of education, psychology of education, sociology of education, history of
education and political economy of education. The questions regarding notion of human
being, ideas of desirable society, human knowledge and values (moral and aesthetic),
capabilities and skills, and ways of their development; all have to be considered in an
integrated manner in forming an adequate perspective on education. Therefore, understanding
and contribution required from these disciplines is not within the boundaries of their own
disciplinary limits; an interactive stance would be needed where fidelity is more to grappling
with educational issues rather than to disciplinary purity.

In the light of above discussion the core courses to build perspective on education and teacher
education can be thought of as below:
1. Introduction to Education Studies: This should be an introductory course to encompass
education as social phenomena, practice and field of study. The purpose here is to
introduce the nature of education studies and map the field rather than in-depth critical
understanding. It may be taught through short courses that focus on: a) introducing the
students to certain selected seminal educational texts that represent the foundational
perspectives [This may be done in a guided reading mode where a small cohort of
students reads these texts with a faculty mentor]; b) orienting the students to the
institutions, systems and structures of education and flagging the contemporary concerns
of education policy and practice (which would be taken-up in greater depth with in other
courses).
2. Philosophy of Education: This course should be used to develop capabilities for
conceptual analysis and recognise issues that need understanding from ethical, epistemic,
aesthetic and political philosophy perspective.
3. Psychology of Education: This course should be seen as including both psychology of
learning and development, and contribute to a fuller understanding of human being as
well as of pedagogical issues.
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 16

4. Sociology, History and Political Economy courses: The relatively formal understanding
developed through philosophical and psychological perspectives remains inadequate
unless understood in social, historical and political economy context. These courses
perhaps can be best constructed in interaction with each other, and be seen as
contextualising formal understanding of education.
5. Curriculum Studies: This course can bring all the understanding and analysis developed
though the earlier mentioned course into a coherent unified perspective on education.
Special care has to be taken in this course to build a broad, balanced and coherent
perspective on why, what, and how of education.
To be effective all these courses have to simultaneously address school education as well as
teacher education, and have to primarily gear to address educational issues while keeping
disciplinary authenticity and rigour.

Critical reflection on gender, disability and marginalisation should cut-across the courses in
core and specialisations. Similarly skills pertaining to ICT and educational technology
should be integrated in various courses in the programme. The taught courses will also have
Practicum Component including workshops [even on aspects that go beyond theory courses
such as self-development for mental and physical well being through modalities such as yoga,
etc.], seminar and other field-based activities that supplement teaching-learning.

b) Tool Courses
As the rubric suggests, the tool courses are envisioned to provide students with certain skills
that enable them to work as professionals and scholars in the field. Located in the common
core of the MEd programme that will be taught to all students irrespective of the
specialisations they choose, these tool courses have been conceptualised in a broader fashion
(to encompass research, communication and writing skills) rather than restricting them to a
specialised domain of say policy analysis or curriculum development. [However, the
specialisation branches should include tool courses of specialised kind.] Ideally these tool
courses should be transacted through or be supplemented by workshops. The 12 credit tool
component in the core includes the following courses:
1. Two (or more) research methods courses of introductory and advanced levels adding-up to
8 credits: While the MEd graduates are expected to do research, they are also expected to
read research in all kinds of roles they assume as professionals. In this regard, the research
courses should have two main objectives: a) to equip students with skills and understandings
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 17

to ‘read’ educational research; b) to develop abilities to plan and do quality research. For
many students, MEd is the first formal occasion where they are introduced to research or at
least to research in education. Therefore, it appears essential to devote at least 8 credits
spread in two (or more) separate courses to the component of research out of which one
introduces the domain and the second advances this understanding with specific focus or foci.

The introductory research methods course(s) should primarily aim at orienting the students to
the idea of research, and basic research concepts and skills. For instance, it may focus on
introducing certain selected methods, tools and techniques; formulating research problems
and questions; framing hypothesis; observing and taking field-notes; interviewing and
transcription; developing proposals and the like. The course should also familiarise students
with basic educational statistics so as to make them better equipped to read educational
research and literature. The purpose is to introduce students to the enterprise of research by
providing a space for hands-on engagement. In this regard, it will be more meaningful if the
introductory course is supplemented by workshops or is conceptualised in a workshop
modality with short modules focussing on different areas.

The advanced course in research may be conceptualised or organised in various ways. For
example, one possibility is to design different kinds of courses for the different specialisation
areas offered in the programme. Second possibility is to design a course that may not be
specialisation specific but advances the pursuits undertaken in the introductory course by
delineating certain focal methodological frames. Third possibility is to offer students a basket
of research courses that have different focusses (for example, action research, ethnography in
education, programme evaluation, experimental designs and the like) from which they choose
one. Whichever approach is chosen, the aim should be to enhance the understandings not
only with respect to doing research, but also with regards the philosophical bases of research,
how these shape research practice, and making-sense (at a beginners level) of how research in
education is constituted. These understandings should be supplemented with focussed hands-
on assignments, activities or projects that further the students’ research skills and
understandings. Engagement with research ethics should cut-across these courses.

2. Communication skills, Expository writing and Academic writing (3 credits): The short
workshop courses (or course) on communication skills and expository writing are intended to
enhance the ability of the graduates to listen, converse, speak, present, explain and exposit
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 18

ideas in groups and before an audience – as this is one of the essential expectations from all
professionals in education. The workshops should also involve training in ICT and
educational technology. The academic writing component is meant to focus on questions
such as: What are the different kinds of writings and writing styles? What are the essential
requirements of academic writing? What distinguishes a good academic writing from others?
What are academic sources and how to refer to them? How to cite a source, paraphrase and
acknowledge the source? How to edit one’s own writing?

3. Self-development workshops (1 credit): These workshops should engage the students in

reflecting on the linkages between the self and one’s professional practice. Themes such as
gender, society and education, ‘disability’, psycho-social dimensions of exclusion, and
inclusive education, should be central to these workshops. Sessions on mental and physical
well-being (through modalities such as Yoga), should also be interwoven in the sessions.

c) Teacher Education Component

The master of education programme is viewed primarily as a programme that prepares
teacher educators who would be involved in either initial teacher preparation or in-service
teacher professional development or both. Even though all courses in the MEd Programme
will contribute to the making of a teacher educator, it is necessary to provide focussed
exposure and experiences in teacher education. This component on teacher education hence
will be compulsory for all students. It would consist of two taught courses transacted on-
campus and an internship transacted in an institution of teacher education.

The notion of teacher cognition and teacher learning has acquired a special meaning in the
last 20-30 years. This is also embedded in the concept of teacher development/growth that
enables a teacher to keep learning and growing in the profession. In keeping with learner-
centred approaches to teaching leading to autonomy, it is necessary for the teacher educator
to employ learner centred approaches in the teacher education classroom. A teacher education
programme would need to equip a teacher educator to this end.

The would be teacher educator needs space and time in the curriculum to realistically
understand the roles and functions expected of them by observing and analysing the activities
performed by the teacher educators in an institutional context. They also need opportunities
to put into action the theoretical understandings about teacher preparation gained through
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 19

various courses in the curriculum. This component in MEd is designed in keeping with the
above rationale and with an intention to help students integrate theory and practice of teacher
education on the one hand and of school experiences with that of teacher education on the
other. The broad objectives of the teacher education component would be:
· Gain insight and reflect on the concept and the status of pre-service and in-service
teacher education
· Be acquainted with the content, and organisation of pre-service teacher education
curriculum, infrastructure and resources needed, and the issues and problems related
to teacher preparation
· Examine the existing pre-service and in-service teacher education programmes from
the view point of policy and its relevance to the demands of present day school
realities
· Involve in various activities and processes of a teacher education institution, in order to
gain an insight in to the multiple roles of a teacher educator and understand the
organisational culture.
· Develop competence in organisation and evaluation of various components of a pre-
service and in-service teacher education programmes
· Design in-service teacher professional development program/activities based on the
needs of teachers
· Critically examine the role and contribution of various agencies and regulating bodies
in enhancing the quality of teacher education.
· Understand and appreciate the research perspective on various practices in teacher
education.
· Develop professional attitudes, values and interests needed to function as a teacher
educator
The teacher education component would comprise of 12 credits. This includes 8 credits for
taught, workshop and/or seminar courses (and practicum associated with these) and 4 credits
for internship. The internship will be organised for duration of three to four weeks with
attachment to both pre-service teacher education and in-service teacher education settings.
This could be done in two phases either in a linear or a non-linear manner. Necessary
orientations to the students and mentor teacher educators from the respective institutions of
teacher education need to be provided before organising the internship. One way in which the
contents of the 8 credits may be apportioned is shared below. While institutions developing
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 20

MEd programmes may organise the 8 course credits in various ways, this framework
proposes to organise these in the form of 2 courses of 4 credits each.
Suggested Content of the Taught Courses
Course I: Pre-Service and In-Service Teacher Education
Course Credit: 4
Unit 1: Structure, Curriculum and Modes of Pre-service Teacher Education
· A review of the understandings developed on teacher roles and functions
· Pre-service teacher education – concept, nature, objectives and scope.
· The structure of teacher education curriculum and its vision in curriculum documents
of NCERT and NCTE
· Components of pre-service teacher education – foundation courses, subject
specialisation and pedagogy, special fields, school based practicum and internship –
weightages in course work and evaluation
· Modes of pre-service teacher education – face-to-face (linear and integrated),
distance and online – relative merits and limitations
Unit 2: Organisation of Different Components of Teacher Education Curriculum
· The student teacher as an adult learner – characteristics. The concept of andragogy
and its principles
· Organisation, transaction and evaluation of different components of teacher education
curriculum – existing practices.
· Transactional approaches for the foundation courses – Expository, Participatory,
Collaborative, Peer Coaching, and Inquiry. Scope and possibilities for organisation
and evaluation
· Transactional approaches for the skill and competency development courses – need
for awareness-modeling-analysis-practice-feedback cycle – scope and possibilities for
organisation and evaluation – practicum records and portfolio assessment
· Concept and scope of school based practicum and internship – the existing practices,
their nature, objectives, organisation and duration. Activities and experiences in pre-
internship, internship and post-internship
Unit 3: In-service Teacher Education in India – Concept, Structure and Modes
· Concept, need for continuing professional development of a teacher – areas of
professional development. Purpose of an in-service teacher education programme –
orientation, refresher, workshop, seminar and conference – their meaning and
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 21

objectives
· The structure for in-service teacher education – sub-district, district, state, regional
and national level agencies and institutions.
· Modes and Models of in-service teacher education:
- Modes of in-service teacher education – face-to-face, distance mode, online and
mixed mode.
- induction, one shot, recurrent, cascade, multi-site, school based and course work
scope, merits and limitations of each of them
Unit 4: Planning, Organising and Evaluating an In-service Teacher Education
· Planning an in-service teacher education programme – preliminary considerations of
purpose, duration, resource requirements, and budget
· Designing an in-service teacher education programme – steps and guidelines –
assessment of training needs, formulation of training curriculum, preparation of
course material
· Organising an in-service teacher education programme – common problems faced by
a teacher educator and guidelines for communication, arrangement, preparation,
facilitating participation and collecting feedback and evaluation.
· Qualities and characteristics of an effective in-service teacher educator
The sessional work may include:
- A “comparative study of state and national curricula” of pre-service teacher education
in terms of their components, weightages, duration, organisation, transaction and
assessment – document analysis
- Design, implementation and evaluation of a training input in any one course of pre-
service teacher education – mentored practicum
- Critical study of an in-service teacher education programme in terms of their need and
relevance, duration, planning, organisation and outcomes – document analysis
- Interview of practicing teachers to identify the nature of in-service teacher education
received and the felt needs.
Course II: Perspectives, Research and Issues in Teacher Education
Course Credit: 4
Unit I: Perspectives and Policy on Teacher Education
· Teacher Development – Concept, Factors influencing teacher development – personal,
contextual.
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 22

· Teacher Expertise – Berliner’s stages of development of a teacher.

· Approaches to teacher development – self-directed development, cooperative or
collegial development, change-oriented staff development.
· National and state policies on teacher education – a review
· Different organisations and agencies involved in teacher education – their roles,
functions and networking
· In-service teacher education under DPEP, SSA and RMSA
· Preparation of teachers for art, craft, music, physical education and special education
– need, existing programmes and practices
· Initiatives of the NGOs in designing and implementing in-service teacher education
programmes
Unit II: Structure and Management of Teacher Education
· Structure of teacher education system in India – its merits and limitations
· Universalisation of Secondary Education and its implications for teacher education at
the secondary level
· Preparing teachers for different contexts of school education – structural and
substantive arrangements in the TE programmes
· Vertical mobility of a school teacher - avenues
· Professional development of teachers and teacher educators – present practices and
avenues
· Systemic factors influencing the quality of pre and in-service education of secondary
school teachers
Unit III: Research in Teacher Education
· Paradigms for research on teaching – Gage, Doyle and Shulman.
· Research on effectiveness of teacher education programmes – characteristics of an
effective teacher education programme
· Methodological issues of research in teacher education – direct versus indirect
inference, generalisability of findings, laboratory versus field research, scope and
limitations of classroom observation
· Trends of research in teacher education – review of a few recent research studies in
teacher education with reference design, findings and policy implications
Unit IV: Problems and Issues in Teacher Education
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 23

· Challenges in professional development of teachers – relevance to school education,

improperly qualified teacher educators, assurance of quality of teacher education
programmes,
· Sufficiency of subject matter knowledge for teaching at the senior secondary level,
· Single subject versus multiple subject teachers – implications for subject
combinations in initial teacher preparation
· Issues related to enhancing teacher competence, commitment and teacher
performance
· Partnerships in secondary teacher education – TEI with school and community,
Government Agencies with University, with NGOs, between teacher education
institutions preparing teachers for different levels of school education
Sessional Work may include:
· Study of the Annual Reports of SCERT/RIE/NCERT/NUEPA to identify the various
programmes for professional development of teacher educators.
· Select any one current practice in teacher education and trace the background of its
formulation as a policy.
· A review of researches in any one area of research in teacher education and write the
policy implications
· A review of a research article in teacher education and write implications for
practitioner
Evaluation:
Whereas the evaluation of the taught on-campus courses would involve tests, assigned
readings, seminar and project in the same way as in other taught courses; the internship
would be evaluated differently. This may involve performance rating through
- Observation of performance in transacting a unit from the teacher education
curriculum,
- Cumulative assessment by the mentor teacher educator on dispositions and
developmental aspects such as professionalism,
- Outcomes of activities such as designing training material and
- Records submitted on reflections during internship, study of the teacher education
institution on instructional and evaluation practices.
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 24

(d) Specialisations
The specialisation component has 24 credits (including 4 credits for field
engagement/attachment). In the process of developing the specialisation clusters, the
professional roles that a graduate of the revised MEd programme may assume/perform have
been kept in mind. The idea is to develop a programme that prepares teacher educators who
not only have a thorough understanding of a specific school stage (such as
elementary/secondary and senior secondary) but also specialise in one such area as
curriculum, pedogogy and assessment; policy, planning and economics; administratoion and
leadership; inclusive education, and the like. Keeping this in mind, the specialisation
component has been organised in the following fashion:
School/Education level/stage based specialisation clusters: Since the entrants of the 2-year
MEd programme will already have a first degree in education with a specific school
level/stage focus, they may specialise in the same level in the MEd programme. Thus, the
students would make a choice from among the following stage/level based specialisations:
a. Elementary Education, or
b. Secondary and Senior Secondary
[The Sub-Committee recommends that NCTE explores the possibility of offering
specialisations in Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Higher Education levels. There is a
clear need for Early Childhood professionals in the country. Therefore, there is a need for
teacher educators who specialise in ECE level. There is a similar need for a cadre of
professionals who are trained in the Higher Education level. While at present there is no
specific programme for training such professionals, there are various institutional structures
(like Academic Staff Colleges and Institutions for Continuing Professional Development) at
higher education level where such trained personnel are needed.]

Within these Elementary and Secondary-Senior Secondary clusters there would be a common
core and theme based specialisation clusters:
A. Core within the elementary/secondary-senior secondary specialisation: This would
comprise courses (full or half) that focus on orienting the students to certain essential
stage-specific areas/concerns which must be understood by any kind of specialist working
in that stage. These courses can be seen as those aimed at broadly mapping the area:
i. Institutions, Systems and Structures at the school stage level (2 credits)
ii. Stage specific status, issues and concerns (2 credits)
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 25

iii. A stage specific general course on Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

(focusing on policy and practice) (2 credits)

B. Further specialisation in any 1 theme based trajectories [total 14 credits (which may be
organised in full and half courses) + 4 credits for internship] focussing on different focal
areas in education amongst which the student chooses any 1 for further specialisation:
i. Curriculum, pedagogy and assessment
ii. Education policy, economics and planning,
iii. Educational management, administration and leadership
iii. Inclusive Education
iv. Education Technology/ICT
iv. Other theme based areas based on institutional strengths
From the various trajectories the universities offering the MEd programme may choose any,
based on their institutional resources strengths.

The above specialisations are only exemplary. The institutions offering MEd programmes can
conceptualise other theme based specialisations based on their institutional strengths.
However, before offering an area of specialisation the following must be ensured:
- There is a body of knowledge which is discernible for offering a particular
specialisation
- There are experts specialised in the area who can assume the role of faculty in an
institution
- There are adequate number of candidates interested in the specialisation stream
- There are work/employment prospects for the graduates who specialise in the stream
Teacher education is not proposed as a separate stream of specialisation as it comprises the
common core of the programme. This is because the programme is primarily focusing on
preparing teacher educators who may specialise and work in a variety of domains.

As examples, outlines of the content areas that may be included in two of the theme based
specialisation clusters are presented below. It is hoped that these are seen as suggestive and
the institutions offering the degree design their own courses.
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 26

1. Theme i: Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

The Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment specialisation is about the central action in
education. It is supposed to develop capabilities of theoretical understanding of curriculum,
pedagogy and assessment as well as practical abilities to work in these areas. The curriculum
and pedagogy is seen as including understanding of appropriate teaching learning material
(textbooks and other materials). The “electives within the specialisation” are briefly outlined
below; institutions can add more as per faculty research interests and expertise; and as per
institutional priorities:
I. Advanced curriculum theory (4 credits)
II. Advanced level subject pedagogy course (4 credits)
III. Approaches to assessment (4 credits)
IV. Material Design (2 credits)
V. Instructional design (2 credits)
VI. Comparative study of curricula (2 credits)
VII. Comparative study of pedagogical features in different educational institutions (2
credits)
VIII. Relevant electives from other thematic clusters such as Inclusive education, Policy,
economics and planning, and the like.
The above are only indicated areas and credit allocations. The institutions may design these
in different ways. There is a possibility of overlap in the elective courses among various
thematic clusters within a specific school stage level specialisation. Similarly, there could
also be overlaps between the same thematic cluster offered in different school stages – for
example the course contents in the electives offered in the Curriculum, Pedagogy and
Assessment clusters in Elementary and Secondary/Senior Secondary Stages, may have some
commonalities. It is advisable that the institutions identify such overlaps so that resources can
be more optimally utilised.

Internship (4 credits) in organisations working in the field of curriculum (preferably in the

specialisation-electives chosen by students) may be organised. These may include
NCERT/SCERT, textbook bureaus, private/innovative/alternative schools which develop
their own curricula, centres of research where relevant projects are being worked-upon, etc.
The internship should be guided by faculty supervisor/s. The organisation of internship may
be conceived in such a fashion that the students get opportunities to observe relevant
activities (of say material design) and interact with the practitioners, along with engaging in
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 27

some activities while on the site. The internship experience should be structured around a
focused task (for example writing a short report on a particular aspect relating to material
design).

2. Theme ii: Educational Policy, Economics and Planning: This could include electives
(and internship) in areas such as:
I. Advanced course in Economics of education
II. Analysis of policy and financing of education in India
IV. Comparison of policy and financing patterns amongst some countries
III. Educational planning: Approaches and alternatives
IV. Workshop courses on Strategy planning, Budget preparation, Policy analysis method, etc.
VI. Relevant courses from other thematic clusters, especially from Educational management,
administration and leadership basket.

3.2.3. Modality of Transacting the above Components

Taught (classroom lectures and interactions), practicum (for example, visit to specific field-
sites for a particular module in a course), workshop (for instance, analysing curriculum
documents while working on an issue in a course), and seminars (for example, a set of
lectures organised around one seminal theme where students get an opportunity to present
their ideas) have been visualised as the modalities through which the courses will be
transacted. Practicum, workshops and seminars are not to be confused with internship
component (to which 8 credits have been allocated). In this programme design, these have
been visualised as integral parts of the courses and allied to the taught modality.

It is strongly recommended that the programme begins with a more hands-on learning for
students and gradually engage in a perspective building. Thus the tools components may be
located in the first semester. These tools courses may also be supplemented by close
mentorship and hand-holding, through formats such as study circles and workshops. It is also
recommended that smaller groups of faculty and students engaging in academic activities and
dialogue in a tutorial modality should continue all through the programme. The transactional
approach of the various components may cut across areas like ICT, analysis of policy and
curricular documents. Also research and comparative perspectives need to be integrated with
all the components of the programme.
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 28

g) Internship
The internship has been conceptualised in two parts or 4 credits each. First part involves a
compulsory attachment with a teacher education institution during the summer. The second
part involves interning at/associating with a field site relevant to the area of specialisation.
Both these internships will be organised for durations of three to four weeks each. It is
suggested that the institutions develop a network of partner organisations where the students
can intern. Such partnerships (with mutual interests of both the partners) on the one hand
reduce the need for logistical arrangements every year, on the other they also facilitate
structure and consistency in internship and a scope of reviewing and improving it for every
academic cycle. The host organisations may help in designing the field internship keeping in
view the activities that will be going on during the internship period and by suggesting
aspects for study/work/focus which may be useful from the host as well as the
interns/students.

This also implies that the internship should be structured around some focussed tasks or
projects which students may design (in consultation with faculty and field coordinators) prior
to going to the host organisation. These tasks may converge in a short field report on the basis
of which a part of assessment may be done. A student’s regularity, engagement in the field
sites, and discussions with mentors (during pre-planning and during and after the internship)
should also be included in the assessment. This implies that the internship should be seen as a
mentored component whereby a faculty and a member from the host association (field
mentor) together guide groups of (3 to 5) students. Adequate handholding should be provided
to the students such that they are able to (or at least begin to) make-sense of their field
observations and experience. This is also to facilitate a bridge between what students learn in
classroom and observe in the field. These expectations necessitate that orientations to the
students and mentor teacher educators from the respective institutions of teacher education
are provided before organising the internship.

g) Research Dissertation
The dissertation is a compulsory 8 credit component of the MEd programme. A dissertation
is distinguished from other writing assignments in the programme on the basis of the
expectations and processes involved therein. It is visualised as a curricular space where
students (with close mentorship/guidance of a faculty member) learn to plan and conduct a
research, and write a thesis. It is also a space where students come to see and draw linkages
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 29

between education theory (transacted through taught courses) and research. Thus, while the
product or the outcome of this component (i.e. the thesis) is important, the process through
which it is arrived at is equally (if not more) significant. This makes a case for this
component to be guided or mentored closely by a faculty mentor.

Various skills that are expected to be developed through this component include: articulating
and formulating a research problem and research questions, designing a plan to study it,
executing the plan (which includes engaging with the relevant body of literature and
theory(/ies) ), analysing and writing the findings in an academic fashion, and presenting the
work. [However, this should not be seen as implying that the dissertation must be field-based.
It may be a long essay/treatise.] The dissertation should preferably be in the area of
specialisation that a student opts or in the areas introduced in the perspective courses.

While a dissertation may be submitted at the end of the Semester 4 of the programme, the
process of arriving at it should begin early on, ideally in the Semester 2 onwards. This also
means that the assessment of this component should be spread over various stages in this
process, viz., developing a research proposal, presenting it, conducting the research,
developing the first draft, finalising the dissertation and presenting it in a viva-voce situation.
All these stages should be given due weightage in the assessment of the dissertation.

For supporting the students through these processes, apart from mentoring by faculty, timely
orientations (to explain the expectations, processes, roles of the students and research
mentors, and assessment), workshops (for example: on developing research proposals, doing
fieldwork, taking field-notes, referencing and editing, etc.) and research seminars (where the
MEd students present work-in-progress, and other researchers are invited to present their
work) should be organised. Sessions guiding students to understand the interfaces between
theory (transacted through taught courses) and the dissertation must also be planned. These
could be in the form of special tutorials in relevant courses.

It is strongly recommended that a department offering the MEd programme, develops a

concept note on the dissertation component that clearly specifies the expectations, assessment
rules and procedures, and guidelines for students. This note should also include aspects like
style sheet, and the word limit for the dissertation (ideally between 15,000 to 20,000 words).
While a set of clearly laid guidelines should be put in place for this component, there should
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 30

be an openness in terms of allowing and encouraging various research styles, areas, kinds of
problems, and writing styles.

h) Relationship between specialisation and internship and dissertation

Internship is viewed as an intensive on site engagement of a student in institution of teacher

education. The specialisation courses would have provided the students with the conceptual
understandings and insights expected in a specialist. If the transacted specialisation courses
provide specialised understandings and insights, the internship provides opportunities to put
into action the theoretical understandings gained through various courses in the curriculum.
The nature and extent of activity and participation during internship are also directed by the
specialisation courses. For example, if a student seeking to specialise in Curriculum is
required to ‘design, implement and evaluate a module in any school subject’ as a mentored
practicum under the sessional work, the implementation and evaluation of the designed input
may be an activity to be undertaken during internship. Similarly, for other specialisations
sessional work in one or more transacted courses may have activity to be organised during
internship.

Further, level based specialisations (such as ECCE, Elementary, Secondary and Tertiary)
would necessitate that the internship for students with these specialisations are organised in
institutions at the relevant level only. For example, if students with specialisation in
elementary education will be placed in Elementary School/Elementary Teacher Education
institution, those with secondary education will be placed in Secondary School/Secondary
Teacher Education Institution.

Just as internship is the culmination of theoretical understandings developed in transacted

courses, dissertation is the culmination of understandings developed in tool courses for
methodology and other courses for matter. As a specialised professional experience,
dissertation provides an MEd student with an opportunity to investigate and understand the
operational dynamics of a selected educational phenomenon. Though organised as separate
courses, internship and dissertation aim at further strengthening the specialisation from a
practical angle. By organising them in the second year of the programme, it is envisaged that
they would draw heavily from the courses taught earlier.
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 31

3.5. An Example and General Principles for Developing a Curriculum

Based on the programme structure proposed in Section 3 above, the Sub-Committee
deliberated on the ways in which MEd curriculum may be organised. One model emerging
from these deliberations is presented as an example below. However, it is not being
recommended as the only possibility emerging from the proposed framework. Instead, it is
strongly recommended that individual institutions engage in consultative processes to evolve
a curriculum that best represents their institutional competencies.

The following model is only to provide an example and to demonstrate the general principles
that the Sub-Committee recommends for organising the MEd programme. These general
principles are also discussed in the section that follows the example.

3.5.1. An Example of Curriculum Organisation based on the Proposed Framework

Table: Curriculum Organisation for 2-year MEd

Semester ISB* I Semester II ISB II Semester ISB III Semester

I III IV
Psycholog Communi Philosophy Dissertati 2 Dissertati 3
y of cation and of on (2 Specialisati on (2 Specialisati
Learning Expositor Education credit); on courses credit) on Courses
and y Writing (4 credit) Internshi (8 credit) (12 credit)
Developm (1 credit); p in a TEI
ent (4 Self- (4 credit)
credit) Developm
History ent (1 Sociology Research Academi Dissertatio
and credit) of Methods c Writing n (4 credit)
Political Education (Advanced (2 credit)
Economy (4 credit) ) (4 credit)
(4 credit)
Education Curriculum Teacher
Studies (4 Studies (4 Education
credit) credit) II (4 credit)
Introductio Teacher Internship
n to Education I (4 credit)
Research (4 credit)
Method (4
credit)
Field Visit/ Practicum
16 credit 2 credit 16 credit 6 credit 20 credit 4 credit 16 credit
*Inter-semester break
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 32

3.5.2. General Principles or Assumptions:

· All institutions offering MEd programme should evolve their respective curricula/ syllabi
based on the framework/ programme structure proposed in this report (in Section 3)
through a consultative process. The curriculum designed in this way should represent the
competencies of the faculty of the institution. That is, the choice of specialisation(s) an
institution would offer and organisation of various programme components should be
based on the institutional strengths and context. The curriculum proposed in the Section
3.5. should in no way be seen as a prescription or the only possible model for MEd.
· MEd needs to be visualised as a professional programme for preparation of stage
specialist teacher educators who can also work as curriculum specialists and pedagogues,
policy makers, administrators and leaders, school level based specialists, specialists in the
domain of education for differently abled, and the like. There can be more theme based
areas in which specialisations may be offered.
· The programme should begin with more hands-on and guided experiences and
introductory contents – and gradually take the students towards understanding more
abstract and rigourous theoretical perspectives. All the courses should attempt to organise
practicum, workshop and/or seminar components which may involve field visits,
development of tools, analysis of curricular material and documents, development of
materials, and the like.
· Ideally, the MEd programme should have a provision for regular field visits for students
across the semesters. For example, a day in every week may be reserved for this purpose.
Field visits is visualised as a space where practicum for various courses could be
organised. It should provide school experience opportunities (preferably in the first
semester) that have sufficient rigour to enable the student to understand school practice
from a broader/holistic perspective of/that informs teacher education (.i.e. it should not be
repetition of the school experience in first degree in education – and should weave in the
broader perspective of teacher education).
· Internship should be organised in a way that it involves engagement with teacher
education institutions for all students, and field experience associated with the
specialisation that a student chooses.
· Since the MEd programme structure proposed in this report is hinged on schools and
teacher education institutions (and other sites) based activities, the MEd calendar should
be developed keeping in mind the schedule of these institutions.
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 33

· While the programme structure suggested in this report suggests a face-to-face modality,
it recognizes the opportunities that blended mode offers. Since teacher education is a
praxis based field of study, it is desirable that the programme attracts working teachers. In
this context, it is recommended that possibilities that encourage working teachers to join
MEd without having to leave their jobs may be explored. Blended mode provides for this
possibility.
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 34

Section 3: Implications
This section of the report highlights some implications of the 2-year MEd programme – or
certain provisions that would need to be ensured to facilitate a shift to a longer duration post-
graduate programme in education. It does not provide a comprehensive account of all the
aspects on which the revised MEd curriculum will have a bearing, but points out some of the
obvious concerns on which (as can be anticipated) the institutions offering the 2-year MEd
programme will encounter challenge or need support. These aspects are listed below:
- NCTE would need to promulgate the curriculum framework of the 2-year MEd
programme and a suggestive guideline on how the institutions may progress towards
curricular revision. Since the duration of the programme has been enhanced as per the
JVC recommendations, it is anticipated that some advocacy work (through regional
consultations) may be needed to convince the institutions to progress towards longer
duration programmes.
- The institution would need resource support in the process of curricular revisions and for
enhancing the faculty strength to offer the 2-year programme.
- For the implementation of the revised MEd curriculum, a phased process will need to be
charted out. A deadline by which all states should comply with the recommendations
would need to be suggested by the NCTE. If a phased process is planned, there would be
a need to encourage candidates to take-up longer duration MEd [to avoid influx of
applicants to 1-year programmes that may co-exist with the longer duration MEd during
the transitory period]. To facilitate this, there is a need to conceptualise of a set of
recruitment rules that provide for better increments or some other provisions for those
who graduate from longer duration/revised programmes.
- Given the time investment and commitment that the revised structure of teacher
educators’ preparation would demand, there would be a need to initiate advocacy for
revision in the recruitment rules (particularly in relation to enhancement in the salary
structure) for the cadre of teacher educators. This may be initiated in view of bringing
about parity between teacher education and other professions. It is recommended that a
Sub-Committee is formed to look into the matters pertaining to recruitment rules for
teacher educators.
 2 Year M.Ed Curriculum | 35

- NCTE also needs to re-examine its recruitment rules for teacher educators to ensure
equivalence among the varied kinds of stage specific programmes (elementary and
secondary) in the light of the anomalies that exist at present.
- To encourage candidates to pursue longer duration study in education, there may be a
need to de-link the entry into degree from the job of teacher educator. That is, candidates
without first masters degree may be permitted to join the programme (except in the cases
where it is indispensable). This will enable the candidates to make more thought-out
choice of the domain in which they would want to pursue their masters after completing
MEd.
- Possibilities of blended programmes (a blend of face-to-face and distance modalities)
may need to be explored. This is to facilitate greater viability of longer duration time
investment.
- In-service training and continuing professional development for the faculty will also need
to be planned as per the revised curriculum framework.
- The institutions would need to explore field networking with teacher education
institutions and other cognate sites (such as schools, SCERT etc.) with a fleshed-out plan
of field mentoring and structure of the field based assignments/attachments. In some
cases there will be need to coordinate the semester calendar with that of the field-site so
as to organise the field attachment in a meaningful fashion.
- The institutions would need to be encouraged to develop anthologies of practice,
recording lectures and a culture of writing to develop resource material for supporting
classroom transaction and research.