Two teacher training institutes funded by the Rajasthan government have continued admitting students despite the withdrawal of their recognition by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), pushing the careers of hundreds of students into jeopardy.

The western regional committee of the NCTE had on November 10, 2022, issued an order to withdraw the recognition of the Government Institute of Advanced Studies in Education, Bikaner, and the Government Institute of Advanced Studies in Education, Ajmer. The NCTE made the withdrawal effective from the 2023-24 academic year.

According to the NCTE norms, institutes cannot admit new students following the withdrawal of recognition. However, both institutes have admitted students into BEd and MEd courses for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 sessions.

Jeetendra Sharma, a retired faculty member of a teacher training institute in Jodhpur, said the careers of hundreds of students in both institutes would be jeopardised. “The NCTE rules are clear. The day the recognition is withdrawn, the institution loses affiliation with the university for admitting future batches or getting their exams conducted by the affiliating university for grant of degrees. Several hundred students have been admitted by both institutes after the NCTE’s decision to withdraw recognition. The careers of these students will be in jeopardy,” Sharma said.

Both institutes have filed appeals against the withdrawal of recognition. The appeals have been sent back to the NCTE’s western regional committee for examination.

However, Sharma said that both institutes had wrongly interpreted their appeals as relief from withdrawal. The Bikaner-based institute has uploaded on its website the appeal remand back order issued by the NCTE’s appeal division on February 9, 2023, to suggest it had valid recognition.

“Appeal remand back order cannot be considered as restoration of recognition,” Sharma said.

Separate emails were sent by The Telegraph to the principals of both institutes, seeking their comments on the issue.

Ranveer Singh, principal of the Ajmer-based institute, said: “We are in appeal. Still after appeal, no order has been passed for withdrawal of recognition by NCTE,” he wrote. However, Sharma said that the withdrawal of recognition still stands as the NCTE has not taken back its decision.

A response from the Bikaner-based institution is awaited.