The Democratic Teachers Federation (DTF), Telangana has urged the state government to strengthen the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) as an apex research-driven academic institution, saying its effectiveness is directly linked to the quality of school education in the state.
In a detailed submission to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao and Secretary (Education) Yogita Rana, the federation made a number of proposals aimed at revamping the role and functioning of SCERT.
The DTF, in its memorandum, has called for a revision of the eligibility norms for the post of SCERT Director, saying that the post is currently held by officers with only bachelor’s degree and B.Ed qualification. The federation required future directors to have robust academic qualifications, including a PhD, a proven research background and significant teaching experience to provide credible leadership to senior academics.
The DTF also suggested that SCERT be transformed into a research-oriented university institution. Pointing out the critical shortage of teachers across teacher education institutions, the DTF pointed out that more than 95% of posts in SCERTs, District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs), Colleges of Teacher Education (CTEs) and Institutes of Advanced Studies in Education (IASEs) remain vacant and called for expedited recruitment of permanent teachers.
The federation further urged for setting up a permanent 100-acre SCERT campus with academic blocks, hostels and digital facilities and recommended that SCERT function as a continuous professional development center for teachers.
Published – 22 February 2026 19:00 IST
