India's Teacher Training Crisis: Budgets, Loans, and Failing Schools

EDUCATION

Chaifry

7/9/202510 min read

As of July 2025, India's public education system stands at a critical juncture, grappling with a crisis rooted in the inefficacy of teacher training. Despite substantial investments in programs like Samagra Shiksha, which allocates over INR 500 crore annually to train millions of teachers, the system is hindered by a profound disconnect between training initiatives and the actual needs of educators and students. The user's poignant critique encapsulates this issue: training is driven "only as per the power and availability of budget as well as the obligations made for the loans taken from around the world," prioritizing expenditure and external compliance over meaningful educational outcomes.

This has created a "Great Training Mirage"—a facade of activity that obscures the systematic neglect of public education, leading to the decline of government schools, the rise of privatization, and a betrayal of the constitutional promise of equitable education for all.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has introduced ambitious reforms, such as the four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP), set to become a regular course in 2025-26, and the planned reintroduction of one-year BEd and MEd programs in 2026. However, these reforms face significant implementation challenges, including outdated curricula, inadequate practical training, and regional disparities. Compounding this, the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, has been interpreted by some as the government "handing over education to private schools by giving the right to education to children," raising questions about whether this shift constitutes true development and aligns with the vision of "Amrit Kaal"—India’s envisioned "Golden Era" from 2022 to 2047. This article explores the historical context of teacher training, the influence of international loans, the consequences of budget-driven approaches, the impact of the RTE Act, stakeholder perspectives, recent developments, and a path forward to reclaim India's public education system.

The Mirage of Development: RTE and the Privatization of Education

In the context of "Amrit Kaal," a term coined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 75th Independence Day celebrations in 2021, India envisions a 25-year period of transformative development leading to its 100th year of independence in 2047. This "Golden Era" aims to bridge disparities, enhance quality of life, and foster inclusive growth through initiatives like PM Gati Shakti and a focus on modern technology (The Quint, 2022). However, the trajectory of India’s education system, particularly the implementation of the RTE Act, raises critical questions about whether current policies align with this vision.

The RTE Act, enacted on August 4, 2009, and effective from April 1, 2010, mandates free and compulsory education for children aged 6-14 under Article 21A of the Indian Constitution. A key provision requires private schools to reserve 25% of their seats for children from economically weaker sections and disadvantaged groups, with the state reimbursing the costs as part of a public-private partnership (righttoeducation.in). While this aims to promote inclusivity, critics argue that it effectively shifts the state’s responsibility to private institutions, as encapsulated in the user’s statement: "The government handed over education to private schools by giving the right to education to children." This provision has placed significant financial and regulatory burdens on private schools, leading some to close, particularly smaller, low-fee institutions unable to comply with stringent norms (Times of India, 2015).

This shift has profound implications. By relying on private schools to fulfill a portion of the constitutional right to education, the government has diverted resources and attention from strengthening public schools. The decline in government school enrollment, driven by poor infrastructure and ineffective teacher training, provides a convenient pretext for closures, with the state citing low student numbers as justification. Meanwhile, policies like the Union Budget 2024’s provision of loans up to Rs 10 lakh for higher education in private institutions signal a preference for private schooling, further entrenching a two-tiered system where quality education is increasingly a privilege for those who can afford it (Business Standard, 2025).

Is this development? True development implies equitable progress that empowers all citizens, particularly the marginalized. However, the reliance on private schools to deliver education risks widening inequalities, as wealthier families access better-resourced private institutions while poorer families are left with underfunded public schools or low-quality private alternatives. The RTE Act’s intent to ensure universal education is undermined when the public system is neglected, and the burden of compliance falls on private entities, some of which struggle to meet the Act’s infrastructure and staffing requirements (World Education Blog, 2023).

Moreover, in the context of "Amrit Kaal," which envisions a prosperous and inclusive India, the shift towards privatization appears misaligned with the goal of reducing disparities. The vision of "Amrit Kaal" emphasizes bridging the urban-rural divide and ensuring that development benefits reach all citizens (WION, 2023). Yet, the current trajectory, where public education is sidelined in favor of private solutions, risks entrenching inequities, contradicting the inclusive ethos of this "Golden Era." For "Amrit Kaal" to be meaningful, India must prioritize robust investment in public education, ensuring that every child, regardless of socio-economic background, has access to quality learning opportunities.

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Historical Context of Teacher Training in India

Teacher training in India has evolved through various national initiatives aimed at improving educational quality. The District Primary Education Programme (DPEP), launched in 1994, was an early effort to enhance primary education, including teacher training. It was followed by the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in 2001, which focused on universalizing elementary education and included significant investments in teacher development. In 2018, the Samagra Shiksha program integrated these efforts, aiming to improve school education from preschool to class 12, with an annual allocation of over INR 500 crore for training, supplemented by state funds (IDR, 2025).

Despite these efforts, the effectiveness of teacher training is hampered by systemic issues. The cascade model, where training content is developed by the State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT) and passed down through multiple levels to teachers, results in significant "cascade loss"—a reduction in quality and relevance at each stage (IDR, 2025). Recent shifts towards online training methods aim to address logistical challenges, particularly in rural areas, but the content often remains disconnected from classroom realities, such as managing multi-grade classrooms or addressing diverse learning needs.

The NEP 2020 has introduced significant reforms, including the four-year ITEP, which combines a bachelor’s degree with teacher training, and specialized courses in Yoga, Physical Education, Sanskrit Education, and Art Education starting in 2025-26 (India Today, 2025). The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) also plans to reintroduce one-year BEd and MEd programs in 2026, alongside two-year versions, to provide flexibility for aspiring teachers (India Today, 2025). However, challenges such as outdated curricula, inadequate practical training, and regional disparities persist, particularly in rural areas where access to quality training is limited (NextIAS, 2025).

The Role of International Loans in Shaping Education Policy

International loans have significantly shaped India’s education policies, often prioritizing external mandates over local needs. The $500 million Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) project, approved by the World Bank in 2020, aimed to enhance school education in six states but has faced criticism for promoting private sector partnerships. Critics, including civil society groups, argue that such initiatives divert public funds and prioritize loan conditions over teacher and student welfare (Bretton Woods Project, 2020). For instance, the STARS project emphasizes measurable outcomes like standardized test scores, which can overshadow holistic teacher development.

These loans often come with "white papers" that dictate training content, transforming professional development into a compliance exercise. The user’s observation that training is designed "to fulfil the knowledge of others" highlights this issue, as externally imposed frameworks often fail to address the contextual challenges of Indian classrooms, such as large class sizes, multi-grade teaching, and resource scarcity. This misalignment has led to a focus on producing reports for loan auditors rather than empowering teachers to improve student learning.

Consequences of Budget-Driven Teacher Training

The budget-driven and loan-compliant approach to teacher training has profound consequences for India’s public education system, creating a vicious cycle that undermines its foundation.

Decline of Government Schools

Government schools, which constitute 69% of India’s 14.72 lakh schools and enroll half of the country’s 24.8 crore students, are severely under-resourced (Economic Survey 2024-25). Inadequate training fails to equip teachers to handle complex classroom challenges, leading to poor educational quality. As a result, parents lose faith in government schools and opt for private institutions, even at significant financial cost. This decline in enrollment provides the government with a convenient excuse to close schools, citing low student numbers as evidence of inefficiency.

Rise of Private Schools

The shift towards private education, partly driven by loan conditions and government policies, has created a two-tiered system where quality education is increasingly accessible only to those who can afford it. The RTE Act’s 25% reservation policy, while aimed at inclusivity, has been criticized for shifting the state’s responsibility to private schools, some of which face financial strain or closure due to compliance costs (Times of India, 2015). Policies like the Union Budget 2024’s provision of loans up to Rs 10 lakh for higher education in private institutions further signal a preference for private schooling, undermining the RTE Act’s goal of universal education (Business Standard, 2025).

Demoralized Teaching Force

Teachers report that current training programs are often irrelevant, focusing on theoretical content rather than practical strategies for managing large, multi-grade classrooms or supporting diverse learners. This disconnect leads to low morale and high turnover rates, exacerbating teacher shortages in government schools. According to the Unified District Information System for Education, only 56.5% of primary school teachers and 65.9% of upper primary school teachers have received in-service training, with varying quality and effectiveness (Education for All in India, 2023).

Neglect of Student Needs

The focus on rote learning, driven by standardized testing pressures and inadequate training, fails to foster critical thinking, creativity, or problem-solving skills. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) consistently highlights a learning crisis, with many students lacking foundational literacy and numeracy skills. Training programs often fail to equip teachers with evidence-based pedagogies to address these gaps, leaving students, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds, at a disadvantage.

Stakeholder Perspectives

Teachers

Teachers feel marginalized in the training process, with little input into content design. They face challenges like managing multi-grade classrooms, addressing diverse learning needs, and coping with non-teaching duties. Training rarely provides practical solutions, leading to frustration and burnout.

Students

Students in government schools suffer from poor infrastructure, untrained teachers, and limited resources, which hinder their learning outcomes. The decline in public school quality has led to increased dropout rates and a shift to private schools, particularly in urban areas.

Parents

Parents, disillusioned by the state of government schools, often make significant financial sacrifices to enroll their children in private schools, perceiving them as offering better quality. This trend exacerbates inequities, as poorer families are left with fewer options.

Education Experts

Experts advocate for context-specific, practical training that addresses real classroom challenges. They emphasize the need for continuous professional development (CPD) and greater teacher involvement in training design. Arvind Mishra, a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, suggests that teachers need creative skills, like storytelling through drama, to engage students effectively (IndiaSpend, 2024).

Recent Developments in Teacher Training (2025)

As of 2025, several developments are reshaping teacher training in India:

Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP): Launched in 57 pilot institutions in 2023-24, the ITEP will become a regular course from 2025-26, combining a bachelor’s degree with teacher training. Specialized courses in Yoga, Physical Education, Sanskrit Education, and Art Education will also be introduced (India Today, 2025).
Return of One-Year BEd and MEd Programs: The NCTE will reintroduce one-year BEd and MEd programs in 2026, alongside two-year versions, to provide flexibility for aspiring teachers (India Today, 2025).
Focus on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN): The NEP 2020’s NIPUN Bharat mission emphasizes training teachers in evidence-based pedagogies for FLN, addressing the learning crisis highlighted by ASER reports.
Private Sector Involvement: Companies like LEAD School are leveraging technology to provide teacher training, offering lesson plans, resources, and assessments aligned with the national curriculum (F6S, 2025).
Online Training: Recent shifts towards online training aim to overcome logistical barriers, but their effectiveness requires further evaluation (IDR, 2025).

Despite these advancements, challenges like cascade loss, regional disparities, and a lack of practical focus persist. States like Assam and Tripura have shown progress in teacher training, but others lag behind (Education for All in India, 2023).

Impact on Student Learning Outcomes

Research suggests that effective teacher training significantly improves student learning outcomes. A study by the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment found that teachers with high-quality training are more likely to use effective teaching strategies, leading to higher student achievement (limbd.org, 2023). Similarly, the American Institutes for Research reported that professional development programs focusing on teaching practices positively impact student outcomes (limbd.org, 2023). In India, however, the lack of practical, context-specific training limits these benefits. The focus on loan-driven outcomes and standardized testing often overshadows efforts to address foundational learning gaps, leaving many students behind.

The Way Forward

To break the cycle of decline and reclaim public education, India must implement comprehensive reforms:

Needs-Based Training: Conduct regular, participatory needs assessments to design training that addresses teachers’ real challenges, such as multi-grade teaching and resource scarcity.
Teacher Involvement: Involve teachers as co-creators of training content, leveraging their practical wisdom to ensure relevance.
Continuous Professional Development: Establish ongoing CPD programs with mentorship and peer learning networks to support teachers throughout their careers.
Increased Investment: Prioritize teacher training as a national investment, reducing reliance on loans with restrictive conditions. The Union Budget 2025-26’s allocation of Rs 1.28 trillion for education is a step forward, but more targeted funding is needed (Business Standard, 2025).
Robust Evaluation: Implement monitoring systems to assess training effectiveness based on classroom practices and student outcomes, not just expenditure or headcounts.
Addressing Disparities: Ensure equitable access to quality training, particularly in rural areas, by strengthening District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) and Cluster Resource Centres (CRCs).
Strengthening Public Education: Reaffirm the commitment to public education by investing in government schools and ensuring RTE compliance, rather than relying on private alternatives.

Conclusion

The "Great Training Mirage" represents a profound betrayal of India’s children and teachers. By prioritizing budgets and loan conditions over meaningful teacher development, the system has engineered the decline of public education, providing a pretext for closures and privatization. The RTE Act’s mandate for private schools to reserve 25% of seats, while well-intentioned, has been criticized as a shift of responsibility from the state to private entities, challenging the notion of development and the inclusive vision of "Amrit Kaal." While reforms like the ITEP and NEP 2020 offer hope, their success hinges on addressing systemic issues like cascade loss, lack of teacher involvement, and inadequate resources. India must shift its focus to empowering teachers with practical, context-specific training and robust support systems to fulfill the constitutional promise of equitable education for all, ensuring that the nation’s future aligns with the transformative aspirations of "Amrit Kaal."