Kolhan University has decided to organise surprise checks at all its 17 constituent and affiliated BEd colleges to ensure classes are held regularly and focus on the quality of education.

The varsity has asked all the colleges to provide their respective timetables so that the visits can be planned accordingly.

The colleges have also been asked to apply for accreditation from TeachR, a joint initiative of the Quality Council of India (QCI) and National Council for Teachers Education (NCTE), the apex body for BEd colleges. TeachR is a new framework for accreditation and ranking of teacher education institutes in India.

Initially BEd colleges received accreditation from NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council). From now on QCI, an autonomous body based in Delhi that monitors quality of education at various institutions, will conduct the process.

“We have already asked all BEd colleges to start compiling the necessary data because from now onwards the colleges will be monitored based on the quality of education,” said A.K. Jha, spokesperson for Kolhan University, adding application for the new assessment process would start from January next year.

Unlike the NAAC accreditation process, the new assessment will evaluate if future teachers are school ready, not how many books does the college’s library has.

TeachR initiative will verify the claims made by the existing teacher training institutes or BEd colleges. After the verification process, all the details will be loaded on a digital platform that will help the council assign scores to institutes. The system will also record an hour-long video on college teachers taking class and a 10-minute video of students taking mock classes. A test will be also be held for potential teachers with an aim to understand the extent to which colleges have succeeded in imbibing the required attitude, skills and knowledge to be a good teacher.

All BEd colleges will further be ranked in four categories — A, B, C and D. The colleges falling in D category will be asked to shut down with immediate effect and those falling in C will have to meet the bar within 12 months or they will also be asked to shut down.

Besides, in order to curb the menace of fake degrees allowing fraudulent teachers to corrode the quality of education, the new degrees to be awarded to potential teachers will carry a QR code. The QR code will verify if these degrees are genuine.