Unit II
Historical Development of Teacher Education In India
Rabindra Nath Tagore rightly said, “A teacher can never truly teach unless he is still
learning himself. A lamp can never light another lamp unless it continues to burn its
own flame.” The Education Commission (1964-66) professed, “The destiny of India is
now being shaped in her classrooms”. The National Policy on Education 1986
emphasize: “The status of the teacher reflects the socio-cultural ethos of the society; it
is said that no people can rise above the level of its teachers”. Teacher education
programme starts molding from the ancient education system and till the present system
of education taking shape according to the global and local needs of the Indian society.
History of teacher education in India can be classified into two parts. First part deals
with teacher education during pre-independent India which starts from ancient
education system of education till India got independent and second part deals with
teacher education during post independent India that is after independence till present
year. The progress of a country depends upon the quality of its teachers and for this
reason teaching is the noblest among all professions. The education commission
recommends the introduction of a “sound programme of professional education of
teachers”. Teaching has been one of the oldest and respected professions in the world.
The role, functions, competence and preparation of teachers have undergone a
dramatic change from time to time but the need for teachers has been imperative for all
times. The changing times as well as the requirements of the society have necessitated
changes in the ways of teacher preparation. This paper elaborates the progress of
teacher education in India from past to present.
Introduction: Good’s dictionary of Education defines Teacher Education as “All
formal and informal activities and experiences that help to qualify to a person to assume
the responsibility as a member of the educational profession or to discharge his
responsibility most effectively”. The history of teacher education in India is as old as
the history of Indian education itself. India has one of the largest systems of teacher
1|P a g e
Sheikh Mustafa (Assistant Professor) Institute of Advanced Studies In Education,
M.A Road Srinagar
,education in the world. Education of teachers must have been born in India in 2500
B.C. The history of Indian teacher education may be divided into five parts:
1. Ancient and Medieval Period (2500 B.C. to 500 B.C.)
2. Buddhist Period (500 B.C. to 1200 A.D.)
3. Muslim Period (1200 A.D. to 1700 A.D.)
4. British Period (1700 A.D. to 1947 A.D.)
5. Teacher education in independent India (1947 up to this date).
Teacher Education in Ancient & Pre Independence Era.
Ancient and Medieval Period (2500 B.C. to 500 B.C.): In the beginning of Hindu
civilization teaching was concerned with teaching of „Vedas‟. Out of four classes of
Hindu society, Brahmins served as teachers of the community devoting themselves to
the work of acquisition, conservation and promotion of knowledge and its transmission
to posterity. In the Vedic India, the teacher enjoyed a special status and position. He was
held in high esteem by the society and this was due not only to learning and scholarship,
but also to qualities of head, heart and hand. The Guru or the teacher was an
embodiment of good qualities, a fountain of knowledge and an abode of spirituality. The
selection and preparation of a teacher was done with much rigour. Manu remarked that
the son of the teacher sometimes helped his father, by teaching in his father's place. The
teacher was sometimes assisted in his work by some of the older and abler pupils who
acted as monitors. This monitorial system, which was a method of inducting pupils to
the position of teachers, was the contribution of the ancient education system. Teaching
in the Upanishadic period was known for the personal attention paid to the student.
There was an intimate relationship between the teacher and the disciple. The freedom to
accept a disciple rested with the teacher, but once he accepted a disciple it became his
moral duty to see that the disciple grew. Similarly, a disciple or student had the freedom
to choose his teacher. Knowledge was transmitted orally (since writing developed later)
and explanation was one of the important methods of teaching. The methods used by
2|P a g e
Sheikh Mustafa (Assistant Professor) Institute of Advanced Studies In Education,
M.A Road Srinagar
, teachers were emulated and adopted by the disciples and handed over from one
generation of teachers to another. The transmission of methods through initiation and
repetition continued. Good teachers devised their own methods and made the matter
interesting and meaningful to students by day-to-day examples. Listening to the spoken
words, comprehension of meaning, reasoning leading to generalization, confirmation by
a friend or a teacher and application were the five steps to realize the meaning of a
religious truth practiced in ancient India.
Buddhist Period (500 B.C. to 1200 A.D.): The formal system of teacher‟s training
emerged during this period. As the importance of teacher education was recognized it
got an expansion. The monastic system which was an important feature of Buddhism
required that every novice on his admission should place himself under the supervision
and guidance of a preceptor (Upajjhaya). The disciple would 'choose an upajjhaya with
much care and showed him the utmost respect. The upajjhaya, on his part, had much
responsibility to the novice, the Saddhiviharika. He was to offer spiritual help and
promote learning through religion among the disciples by teaching, by putting question
to him, by exhortation, by instruction. The teacher was to look after the disciple fully.
The teachers employed other methods besides oral recitation such as exposition, debate,
discussion, question-answer, use of stories and parables. In Vihars and monastic
schools, Hetu-Vidya or the inductive method was adopted and the intellect of the
disciple was trained through it. The subject Logic was introduced which helped in
sharpening the intellect of the learner.
Muslim Period (1200 A.D. to 1700 A.D.): During this period there was no formal
system of teacher training. In the holy Koran, education is urged as a duty and in
Muslim countries, education was held in high esteem. Education was public affair. The
Mohammedan rulers in India founded schools (Maktabs), Colleges (Madrassahs) and
libraries in their dominions. In the Maktab, often attached to a mosque, the students
received instruction in the Koran which they had to recite, and reading, writing and
simple arithmetic was also taught. The medium of "instruction was Persian but the study
3|P a g e
Sheikh Mustafa (Assistant Professor) Institute of Advanced Studies In Education,
M.A Road Srinagar
Historical Development of Teacher Education In India
Rabindra Nath Tagore rightly said, “A teacher can never truly teach unless he is still
learning himself. A lamp can never light another lamp unless it continues to burn its
own flame.” The Education Commission (1964-66) professed, “The destiny of India is
now being shaped in her classrooms”. The National Policy on Education 1986
emphasize: “The status of the teacher reflects the socio-cultural ethos of the society; it
is said that no people can rise above the level of its teachers”. Teacher education
programme starts molding from the ancient education system and till the present system
of education taking shape according to the global and local needs of the Indian society.
History of teacher education in India can be classified into two parts. First part deals
with teacher education during pre-independent India which starts from ancient
education system of education till India got independent and second part deals with
teacher education during post independent India that is after independence till present
year. The progress of a country depends upon the quality of its teachers and for this
reason teaching is the noblest among all professions. The education commission
recommends the introduction of a “sound programme of professional education of
teachers”. Teaching has been one of the oldest and respected professions in the world.
The role, functions, competence and preparation of teachers have undergone a
dramatic change from time to time but the need for teachers has been imperative for all
times. The changing times as well as the requirements of the society have necessitated
changes in the ways of teacher preparation. This paper elaborates the progress of
teacher education in India from past to present.
Introduction: Good’s dictionary of Education defines Teacher Education as “All
formal and informal activities and experiences that help to qualify to a person to assume
the responsibility as a member of the educational profession or to discharge his
responsibility most effectively”. The history of teacher education in India is as old as
the history of Indian education itself. India has one of the largest systems of teacher
1|P a g e
Sheikh Mustafa (Assistant Professor) Institute of Advanced Studies In Education,
M.A Road Srinagar
,education in the world. Education of teachers must have been born in India in 2500
B.C. The history of Indian teacher education may be divided into five parts:
1. Ancient and Medieval Period (2500 B.C. to 500 B.C.)
2. Buddhist Period (500 B.C. to 1200 A.D.)
3. Muslim Period (1200 A.D. to 1700 A.D.)
4. British Period (1700 A.D. to 1947 A.D.)
5. Teacher education in independent India (1947 up to this date).
Teacher Education in Ancient & Pre Independence Era.
Ancient and Medieval Period (2500 B.C. to 500 B.C.): In the beginning of Hindu
civilization teaching was concerned with teaching of „Vedas‟. Out of four classes of
Hindu society, Brahmins served as teachers of the community devoting themselves to
the work of acquisition, conservation and promotion of knowledge and its transmission
to posterity. In the Vedic India, the teacher enjoyed a special status and position. He was
held in high esteem by the society and this was due not only to learning and scholarship,
but also to qualities of head, heart and hand. The Guru or the teacher was an
embodiment of good qualities, a fountain of knowledge and an abode of spirituality. The
selection and preparation of a teacher was done with much rigour. Manu remarked that
the son of the teacher sometimes helped his father, by teaching in his father's place. The
teacher was sometimes assisted in his work by some of the older and abler pupils who
acted as monitors. This monitorial system, which was a method of inducting pupils to
the position of teachers, was the contribution of the ancient education system. Teaching
in the Upanishadic period was known for the personal attention paid to the student.
There was an intimate relationship between the teacher and the disciple. The freedom to
accept a disciple rested with the teacher, but once he accepted a disciple it became his
moral duty to see that the disciple grew. Similarly, a disciple or student had the freedom
to choose his teacher. Knowledge was transmitted orally (since writing developed later)
and explanation was one of the important methods of teaching. The methods used by
2|P a g e
Sheikh Mustafa (Assistant Professor) Institute of Advanced Studies In Education,
M.A Road Srinagar
, teachers were emulated and adopted by the disciples and handed over from one
generation of teachers to another. The transmission of methods through initiation and
repetition continued. Good teachers devised their own methods and made the matter
interesting and meaningful to students by day-to-day examples. Listening to the spoken
words, comprehension of meaning, reasoning leading to generalization, confirmation by
a friend or a teacher and application were the five steps to realize the meaning of a
religious truth practiced in ancient India.
Buddhist Period (500 B.C. to 1200 A.D.): The formal system of teacher‟s training
emerged during this period. As the importance of teacher education was recognized it
got an expansion. The monastic system which was an important feature of Buddhism
required that every novice on his admission should place himself under the supervision
and guidance of a preceptor (Upajjhaya). The disciple would 'choose an upajjhaya with
much care and showed him the utmost respect. The upajjhaya, on his part, had much
responsibility to the novice, the Saddhiviharika. He was to offer spiritual help and
promote learning through religion among the disciples by teaching, by putting question
to him, by exhortation, by instruction. The teacher was to look after the disciple fully.
The teachers employed other methods besides oral recitation such as exposition, debate,
discussion, question-answer, use of stories and parables. In Vihars and monastic
schools, Hetu-Vidya or the inductive method was adopted and the intellect of the
disciple was trained through it. The subject Logic was introduced which helped in
sharpening the intellect of the learner.
Muslim Period (1200 A.D. to 1700 A.D.): During this period there was no formal
system of teacher training. In the holy Koran, education is urged as a duty and in
Muslim countries, education was held in high esteem. Education was public affair. The
Mohammedan rulers in India founded schools (Maktabs), Colleges (Madrassahs) and
libraries in their dominions. In the Maktab, often attached to a mosque, the students
received instruction in the Koran which they had to recite, and reading, writing and
simple arithmetic was also taught. The medium of "instruction was Persian but the study
3|P a g e
Sheikh Mustafa (Assistant Professor) Institute of Advanced Studies In Education,
M.A Road Srinagar
