The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has begun a four-week internship for 12 second-year M.Ed students from Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University (SLBSNSU), Delhi, bringing them into direct engagement with teacher education policy and practice.
The internship, being organised by NCERT’s Department of Teacher Education (DTE), runs from September 7 to October 5, 2026, at the National Institute of Education (NIE) Auditorium in NCERT’s Dr Janaki Ammal Block, New Delhi. NCERT announced the programme through its official social media channels.
Rather than being limited to classroom-based academic learning, the programme is designed to give the M.Ed students exposure to the work of a national-level education institution and help them understand how education policies and curriculum reforms translate into practice.
Focus on the changing role of teacher educators
The opening day began with an orientation by Prof Sharad Sinha, Head, Department of Teacher Education, NCERT. The session introduced the students to key initiatives undertaken by the department, the expectations from the internship and some of the emerging challenges facing teacher education.
The discussion also looked at how the role of teacher educators is evolving as India's education system undergoes changes in policy, curriculum and pedagogy.
Dr Jitendra Kumar Patidar subsequently explained the role and functions of the Department of Teacher Education, giving the interns an overview of the department's work.
NEP 2020, ITEP and NCF-SE 2023 on the programme
The internship also brings some of the country's major education reforms into focus.
A session by Dr Virender Kumar Chandoriya dealt with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP). This was followed by a session on innovative practices in teacher education by Dr Chetna Pandey.
The students also took part in an activity-based session on the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023, conducted by Dr Nimisha Beri.
The combination of policy discussions and activity-based learning is significant for M.Ed students, particularly those preparing for careers in teacher education. It gives them an opportunity to examine not only what education reforms propose, but also how such frameworks can influence teaching and learning practices.
Why the internship matters
The four-week engagement could provide the participating M.Ed students with a perspective that is difficult to gain solely through university coursework — an opportunity to observe how policy, curriculum, research and teacher preparation intersect within a national education institution.
For NCERT, the programme also provides a platform to engage directly with students preparing to become teacher educators, creating an avenue for discussions around emerging challenges in the profession.
The internship will continue until October 5, with the students expected to engage with the Department of Teacher Education throughout the programme. SLBSNSU, meanwhile, is a Central University established through an Act of Parliament.