District Institutes of Education and Training - Teacher Education

District Institutes of Education and Training: A Comparative Study in Three Indian States
DIETs. The physical infrastructure in the specially commissioned DIET buildings
of Masuda and Santrampur was highly conducive to the expected activities of the
institute, but was less than adequate in the remaining four sites, particularly in
Dhar DIET, which was occupying borrowed and unsuitable premises.
Recruitment to these DIETs followed national recruitment norms, but although
most staff had the stipulated double Masters’ degrees, very few had elementary
teaching experience. In the Lok Jumbish DIET, special screening procedures and
an enhanced salary package had ensured the employment of motivated staff. In
other DIETs, a low proportion of staff had deliberately opted into a DIET posting
with vocational intent; many more had been transferred from posts in the
secondary sector. The Government of Gujarat has created its own DIET cadre to
ensure dedicated staff, leading to stability that was absent in the other two States
although recruitment of senior staff remains problematic there also.
In all three States, induction training was inadequate or non-existent. Ongoing
professional development opportunities were also very limited and usually
appropriated by a handful of staff members. In Udaipur, Dhar and Indore DIETs
staff lacked clarity about the functions of their own branch of the DIET, or the
institute as a whole, and were unfamiliar with the relevant national policy. In the
three other DIETs, clarity was ensured either through the input of an external
intervention (Lok Jumbish in Masuda DIET, DPEP in Santrampur DIET) or
because the Principal had orientated his staff personally (Surat DIET).
DIET leadership was compromised by recruiting norms that made it very difficult
to appoint regular Principals. Only Surat and Masuda DIETs had regular
Principals. In the other DIETs the Principal was ‘acting’ or ‘in-charge’. Such
postings create DIET dependency on the Education Office and this undermines
the institute, in addition to depriving DIETs of the leadership that staff members
unanimously saw as crucial.
Policy issues in relation to DIET recruitment, staffing, institutional aims
and leadership
• A reconsideration of recruitment policy for DIETs is urgently indicated, in
order that practitioners with relevant expertise and experience of elementary
education are employed in DIETs.
• Induction procedures for new DIET staff which have hitherto occurred too
late, or not at all, are not serving the required purpose. The content of induction
might be worked up in consultation with existing staff to identify the aspects
which they consider to be important at the beginning of a DIET posting; a
strong practical element is highly desirable, but this should be carefully
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