B.ED CURRICULUM OF ASSAM UNIVERSITY AND TEZPUR UNIVERSITY OF ASSAM: A COMPARATIVE STUDY IN THE LIGHT OF NCTE CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK FOR TWOYEAR B.ED PROGRAMME

Teacher education is a programme that is associated with the development of teaching skills, competency and proficiency and that would enable and authorize the teachers to meet the necessities of the teaching profession and face the challenges therein. In the present study, an attempt was made to analyse and compare the six components of two-year B.Ed. curriculum of Tezpur University and Assam University of Assam in the light of existing NCTE curriculum framework for Two-Year B.Ed. programme. Two-year B.Ed curriculum of Tezpur University and Assam University constituted the sample of the present study. Content analysis was used to analyse and compare the six components of the existing two-year B.Ed curriculum of sample universities. The researcher also conducted a survey seeking opinions of Teacher Educators, Principals/Heads of the Secondary Teacher Education Institutions (STEIs) of Tezpur University and Assam University of Assam on the Two-year B.Ed. curriculum. A questionnaire was prepared by the researcher to collect the necessary data from the representative group of teacher educators. The questionnaire consists of thirty-five open-ended and seven closed-ended questions. The present study revealed that both Assam University and Tezpur University of Assam followed the NCTE curriculum framework for Two-year B.Ed. programme in preparing their two-year B.Ed. curriculums. In spite of following the NCTE curriculum framework, some significant differences are found in the six components of the two-year B.Ed curriculums of the two universities. For instance, [a] the objectives of the two-year B.Ed. programme is clearly mentioned in the two-year B.Ed curriculum of Assam University. These objectives are in consonance with that of the NCTE curriculum framework for two-year B.Ed programme. Objectives of each course are also found in the two-year B.Ed curriculum of Assam University. However, the programme objectives are not spelt out in the twoyear B.Ed. curriculum of Tezpur University, [b] numbers of optional courses and pedagogical courses are included in the course structure of the existing two-year B.Ed. curriculum of Tezpur University (three optional courses and seven pedagogical courses) are less in comparison to Assam University (ten optional courses and twenty pedagogical courses), [c] Relative grading/marking system is followed in the evaluation system of curriculum of two-year B.Ed. programme of Tezpur University. However, absolute grading/marking system is followed in the evaluation system of curriculum of two-year B.Ed. programme of Assam University, and [d] There is a special provision for the failed candidate in assignment paper to improve their internal assessment marks (two chances are given) in the two-year B.Ed curriculum of Assam University. However, there is no such provisions are found for the failed candidate in assignment paper in the two-year B.Ed. curriculum of Tezpur University. About two-third (66.67%) of the sampled teacher educators, Principals/Heads of STEIs were satisfied with the present two-year B.Ed. curriculum of Assam University. On the other hand, 75% of the sampled Teacher Educators opined that they were satisfied with the present two-year B.Ed. curriculum of Tezpur University. About one-third and half (33% & 50% respectively) of the sampled teacher educators of STEIs affiliated to Assam University and Tezpur University opined that they faced different problems during the implementation of the two-year B. Ed. programme in their institutions.