TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN TEACHER EDUCATION

Quality assurance in teacher education reflects on the high profile of the institution and the competency of student-teachers. In recent years total quality management (TQM) has emerged as a viable solution to achieve the goal of quality. Although business organizations have applied TQM principles with considerable success, its use in teacher training institutes is largely limited and has received little attention. The indomitable spirit of higher education paves the way for the growth of a nation in the several dimensions. Teacher education is one of the areas in higher education which trains student-teachers in pedagogy, which in turn helps them to train the young minds of educational institutions. The national policy on education and the Programme of Action (PoA-1992) emphasizes revamping of education programme for bringing qualitative improvement in teacher education. The ‘Fate of the nation is decided in the classroom,’ is a remark made by the Education Commission of India. The present article focuses on the concept and thrust areas of TQM in teacher education in India. It has exposed the perception of teachers on quality indicators, such as teacher quality, linkage and interface, students, co-curricular activities, innovative strategies in teaching learning practices, pedagogy, curriculum development, value inculcation, Teacher Education Institutions and Schools linkages, use of information and communicative technology and governance.