Sisodia inaugurates Delhi Teachers University 

The Delhi government on Friday inaugurated the Delhi Teachers University, with an aim to ensure that teacher-trainees in the university spend 30-50% of their time in schools and get hands-on learning experience from the very first month of their course.

Speaking at the inauguration, deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that while premium institutes for engineers and doctors, such as the IITs, IIMs and AIIMS, were started decades ago, no university was founded to prepare India’s teachers.

“It is easy to prepare good engineers, doctors and other professionals because they work only on specific areas of life but it is not easy to prepare a good teacher because their work is to cover all aspects of life for students and offer a 360-degree approach,” Mr. Sisoida said.

The Vice-Chancellor of Delhi Teachers University, Dhananjay Joshi, said that children dream of becoming doctors or engineers, teaching is considered their least favourite career option. But the Delhi Teachers University, Mr. Joshi said, will work towards changing this mindset. 

“Teachers are nation builders. To prepare for a better and developed India, we will motivate each and every child to become a teacher,” Mr. Joshi added.

The university has been set up within two months of the decision to establish it being passed in the Delhi Assembly. The university promises to offer a new-age integrated teacher education programme for students after class 12.