The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has allowed students of its approved colleges to avail themselves of maternity and childcare leave during the course of their study.
The duration of their course will be extended accordingly, the NCTE has said in a recent letter to state governments. It has relaxed the duration under the norms and standard of all teacher education programmes.
“The eligible candidates shall be entitled to avail the maternity leave/child cate leave as per guidelines issued by UGC/State/UT government/Affiliating body concerned,” the letter said.
Nearly 17,000 colleges have been approved by the NCTE for running teacher education courses.
Under the MPhil/PhD regulations 2016, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has already provided the benefit to research students in the universities for up to 240 days.
In 2021, the commission extended the benefits to undergraduate and postgraduate students. It requested all higher education institutions to frame rules for granting this facility to students. The institutions have been asked to allow relaxations or exemptions in attendance and date for submitting examination forms for such students.