State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT)
Government of NCT of Delhi

[Section 4 (1) (b) (i)]

1. Aims and Objectives of the Organization

1 . A) As per the Memorandum of Association of SCERT, a Society registered under the Societies Act, the objects of the Council shall be :

• To assist and advise the administration of Delhi in the implementation of its policies and major programmes for human resource development especially in the field of education, woman and child development, national integration and related areas.
• To promote educational researches and training of teachers and other personnel.
• To develop the curriculum, aiming at an all round development of the child, and at all levels of education.
• To develop and produce teaching-learning materials.
• To develop Educational Technology for use in the teaching learning activities and training programmes and to provide Distance Education.
• To devise the systems and approaches for qualitative education.
• To develop scientific processes of evalution of the pupil and the educational programmes and institutions.
• To develop the strategies to achieve the goals of education for equality.
• To establish linkages with NCERT, various department of Universities of Delhi, Administration of U. T. of Delhi, Deptt. of Education, other educational institutions of Central and Delhi Administration.
• To develop, adopt/adapt, & produce curricular materials, text-books and other related instructional materials.
• To develop educational materials for the education of and guidance to children from disadvantaged group.
• To guide, develop & provide educational materials for non-formal education/educational functional literature.
• To promote and assist Delhi Administration in SUPW & Vocational Education in the State/U.T. of Delhi.
• To improve the existing examination system and to prepare relevant materials in different areas for schools education.
• To provide pre-service and in-service training to teachers at all levels of school education.

B) For realization of these objectives, the Council may undertake any or all of the following functions, programmes and activities.

• To undertake, assist, promote and co-ordinate research in all aspects of education so as to bring about quality improvement.
• To organize pre-service and in-service training at elementary, secondary & also at an advanced level.
• To organize and provide extension services for such institutions as are engaged in educational research and training of teachers.
• To experiment, develop and/or to disseminate improved educational programmes, techniques and practices in schools.
• To develop the curriculum and instructional materials.
• To undertake the preparation, evaluation, revision and production of teaching-learning materials to improve the quality of education.
• To develop materials through use of educational technology and other means for improving the teaching-learning process.
• To assist and advise the various agencies of mass media for the propagation of education.
• To experiment and recommend for the implementation of scientific pupil evaluation of pupils at all levels.
• To advise the systems and approaches for efficient management, evaluation and monitoring of educational institutions.
• To suggest measures for the education for equality.
• To frame the programmes and suggest the initiations of actions to achieve the Universalisation of Elementary Education.
• To suggest measures for ensuring qualitative education.
• To select and suggest the techniques for distance education.
• To identify the talented children and plan for nurturing of their talent.
• To plan, execute and evaluate the educational programmes in the State of Delhi
• To develop the State/UT and District level Resource Centres in the State/UT in the various fields of education.
• To design the curriculum and learning materials of teacher education and workout the process for enhancing the potentialities of the teachers.
• To facilitate local bodies for Primary and Pre-primary education/middle/secondary/sr. sec. education for Delhi and other State/Centre level institutions; organizations and agencies in developing and implementing programmes for qualitative improvement of education.
• To collaborate and cooperate with national and other centre/state level institutions for the furtherance of its objectives.
• To establish, in any part of the State/UT, such institutions as may be necessary to realize its objectives.
• To act as clearing house for ideas and information on all matters relating to education.
• To advise the Delhi Administration and other educational organizations and institutions on matters relating to education.
• To develop and manage the educational information system.
• To develop and/or publish such books, materials, periodicals and other literature as may be necessary for furtherance of its objectives.
• To function as link organization between the National/State/UT and District level institutions.
• To acquire by gift, purchase, lease or otherwise any property, movable or immovable, which may be necessary or convenient for the purposes of the Council and to construct, alter and maintain any building or buildings for the purposes of the Council.
• To draw, make, accept, endorse, discount and negotiate with the Administration of Delhi the promissory notes, bills of exchanges, cheques or their negotiable instruments.
• To invest the funds of the Council in such securities or in such manner as may from time to time be determined by the Executive Committee and from time to time, to sell or transfer such investment.
• To sell, transfer lease or otherwise dispose of all or any property of the Council, and
• To do all such things as the Council may consider necessary incidental or conducive to its primary objectives of promoting educational research, advance professional training of educational personnel and the provision of extension services to educational institutions.

2) Mission/vision

• To work towards universal elementary education of equitable quality for all children in Delhi.
• To work towards quality improvement at all spheres and all levels of education.
• To work towards universal elementary education and universal adult literacy.
• To act as resource support agency for policy, planning, research, training & material development for the school system in Delhi.
• To act as affiliating agency for elementary and pre-school teacher education courses and teacher education institutions working in the GNCT of Delhi.
• To design Courses for professional development of teachers.
• To frame curricula, syllabi, textbooks, materials and evaluation framework for educational administrators, teachers and children.

4) Brief History and Background for Its Establishment

The 1986 National Policy on Education, recommended the creation of State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) in each State as a measure of decentralization of functions of quality education, research and training. SCERT, Delhi, was set up as an autonomous body under the Societies Registration Act in May, 1988. It receives funding from GNCT of Delhi under the Grants-in-aid scheme. 9 District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) have been set up for each of the 9 revenue districts in Delhi and these operate under the overall administrative control of SCERT.

Funding for DIETs comes from MHRD under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Teacher Education and Re-organisation and is routed through GNCTD.

SCERT is also the affiliating body for Elementary Teacher Education (ETE) Course and Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Course. SCERT is responsible for preparing the curriculum, prescribing syllabi, course of study, academic calendar for these Courses. SCERT also conducts the Entrance Examination for its affiliate institutes and admits candidates for the Course. SCERT awards the Diploma to successful students in ETE and NTT. As on date, apart from DIETs, 10 private institutions are affiliated to SCERT for conducting the pre-service Elementary Teacher Education Course and 18 private institutions are affiliated for the Early Childhood Care and Education Course. Details of these institutions are given in manual 1 (9).

SCERT organizes in-service teacher education programmes for teachers on MCD and Dte. of Education. Special workshops for Heads of Schools are also undertaken. During the period 1991-2005, SCERT alongwith DIETs, have organized in-service training/orientation programmes for 91, 273 personnel, Heads of Schools, educational administrators, and teachers.

SCERT is responsible for material development both for children and support materials for teachers. Other functions include research in various aspects for qualitative improvement of school education. Between 1988-2005, 215 publications have been brought out by SCERT.

SCERT-DIETs is also resource support organisation for Universal Elementary Education Mission (UEEM), under which Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Primary Education Enhancement Programmes are undertaken.

6) Duties to be Performed to Achieve the Mission

The main duties to be performed by SCERT to achieve the Mission are :

• Organise regular In-service teacher education programmes for all teachers in the system.
• Design and Organise Course for professional advancement of teachers such as B.Ed. (In-Service).
• Prepare textual materials for children at all levels of school education.
• Prepare teacher support materials.
• Prepare computer aided learning modules, cassettes, CDs, teaching-aids.
• Conduct research for qualitative improvement of school education.
• Evolve and initiate school improvement programmes.
• Oversee the functioning of DIETs.
• Act as affiliating body for elementary and early childhood care and education Courses in GNCTD.
• Conduct entrance examinations, syllabi, examinations and award Diploma for these Courses.
• Act as resource support agency to Directorate of Eduation and MCD.
• liase with apex organizations and disseminate current trends in school education to the system.

The detailed functions of DIETs as per the MHRD Guidelines are as follows :

Pre-Service Teacher Education (PSTE) Branch

• Organising Pre-service course for elementary school teachers.
• Propagation of (a) learner centred education and (b) education for personality development (including value and culture education), through extension, preparation of suitable teaching aids, action research etc.
• All general matters concerning teaching methodology (e.g. multi grade teaching, peer group tutoring etc.) and specific matters concerning teaching methodology of the school NFE subjects represented in the Branch.
• Provision of Psychological Counselling and guidance services to schools and NFE/AE Centres of the district.
• All matters relating to learning by Children of Disadvantaged groups (e.g. special remedial instruction for first generation learners).
• Education of children with major handicaps and other mild (physical and mental) handicaps and Education of the Gifted.
• To provide inputs into programmes/activities of all other branches of the Institute, to the extent of subjects/ areas represented/handled in the Branch.
• Maintenance of Science Lab., Psychology equipment, Resource Room for Education of Disabled Children, Rooms for Art Education, and of equipment and facilities for Sports and Physical Education competitions, Yoga, Hobbies etc.

Work Experience (WE) Branch

• To identify locally relevant WE areas, and in cooperation with concerned nodal branches, to develop sample curricular units, teaching-learning material, low-cost teaching aids and evaluation tools/techniques in such areas (locally relevant areas would be spinning/weaving/dyeing, bamboo work, bee-keeping, chatai-making, etc.).
• To help educational authorities and elementary schools/NFE/AE Centres in planned introduction of Work- Experience activities in such schools/centres.
  As back-up to (2) above, to conduct appropriate in-service progammes for teachers in the area of WE.
• To provide WE-related inputs into all other programmes and activities of the Institute e.g., preservice and in- service programmes for teachers, training programmes for NFE/AE personnel, Field Interaction (including Extension) activities, Action Research, etc.
• To organise activities for cleanliness, upkeep and development of the Institute campus ----roads, playgrounds, lawns, gardens, etc. and its surroundings, and for basic maintenance of Institute furniture and other properties.
• To organise community service activities and study visits to work centres as part of training programmes, and to promote such activities on extra-curricular basis.
• To maintain Workshop/Garden for WE activities.
• To promote work-related hobbies among trainees of the institute.

District Resource Unit

1) To assist educational authorities in planning and coordination of training programmes for AE/NFE personnel in the district and to provide necessary support to such programmes organised outside the DIET.

2) To serve as the nodal branch for organising :-

• Programmes of induction training and continuing education for instructors and supervisors/preraks of NFE/AE to be organised in the DIET(Programmes for preraks of AE will be done in conjunction with the SRC).
• Orientation programme for resource persons of the following kinds :-

Those who would conduct programmes mentioned in (i) at other centres in the district (i.e., outside the DIET) e.g., personnel from NYK, NFE/AE projects, NGOs, etc. and resource persons for the successful implementation of AE/NFE programmes as a whole e.g., extension functionaries of Development Deptts., community leaders, retired teachers, ex-servicemen, NSS Volunteers, ICDS functionaries other involved in Mass Programmes of Functional Literacy (MPFL), etc

To provide instructional inputs into (i) core area of the above programmes e.g., need philosophy, objectives, methodology, evaluation, problems etc. on NFE/AE, and (ii) teaching of such individual subjects/areas as the staff may have necessary background in, especially teaching of language, arithmetic and functional skills.

To evaluate and monitor the quality and efficacy of training programmes for NFE/AE personnel held in and outside the DIET, and to strive for their continuous improvement.

To maintain a database on all NFE/AE personnel who undergo training at the Institute.

To undertake with the help of other concerned branches, the following activities vis-a-vis curiculum, basic and post literacy teaching learning material, low cost teaching and evaluation tools for AE/ NFE and adaption of existing curricular units.

To undertake action research in all areas relevant for making NFE/AE more effective-in collaboration with other branches, to the extent necessary.

To provide AE/NFE related inputs into all programmes of the institute not listed above, especially pre- service and in-service education programmes for teachers.

4) n-Service Field Interaction and Coordination (IFIC) Branch

1) To assist educational authorities in planning and coordination of inservice education programmes for elementary teachers throughout the district, and to plan and coordinate such programmes held in the DIET, Pursuant to this, the Branch would :-

• identify training needs of elementary teachers in the district, and prepare a perspective plan for meeting such needs.
• prepare an annual calendar of all programmes to be held in the DIET.
• help concerned authorities in preparing an annual calendar of inservice programmes to be held outside the DIET.

2) To serve as the nodal branch for organizing :-

• all those in-service education programmes for teachers and Head masters, at the Institute, whose content does not relate exclusively or pre-dominantly to any one Branch i.e. programmes of a relatively general/omnibus nature (e.g. the ‘main’ programmes referred to in para 3.3.3).
• orientation programmes for resource persons who would conduct in-service progammes for teachers at other centres in the district (i.e outside the DIET).
• in-service education programmes for teachers in the distance/distance-cum-contact-modes (apart from programmer, the DIET may organize in their modes, on it own, it may also serve as a district level study centre for such programmes which may be organized, say, at the state level, IFIC Branch will serve as the nodal branch for this purpose as well).

3) To evaluate and monitor the quality and effect of in-service programmes held in and outside the DIET and to strive for their continuous improvement.

4) To maintain a database on all persons, except NFE/AF personnel, who undergo training at the institute, and to organize follow-up activities pursuant to such training, through correspondence, visits, transmission of printed material, etc.

5) To serve as a reference and resource centres for teachers who wish to continue their education.

6) To act as the nodal branch for all action research, and field interaction (including extension) activities of the Institute which would include, inter alia

• Coordination of in-house action research activities and dissemination of its results.
• Acting as a relearning house for information on results of all studies, research, innovation, etc. in the area of Elementary Education-wherever undertaken.
• Publication of a periodic newsletter and an institute journal to be sent to every elementary school/NFE/AE centre in the district.

5) Curriculum, Material Development and Evaluation (CMDE) Branch

• To adopt existing items and develop new items of the following kinds so that they suit local circumstances,and can be used in elementary education teacher education programmes.
• To help the DRU in development work as above for Adult and non-formal Education.
• To undertake testing on sample basis to assess achievement levels among learners, especially with reference to Minimum levels prescribed for the primary and upper stage and for adult learners under NLM.
• To help educational authorities and elementary school NFE/AE centres in implementing a reliable and valid system of learner evaluation.
• To conduct workshops for the adaptation development work mentioned in (i) above, as also in service programmes relating to CMDE.
• To provide CMDE-related inputs into all other programmes/activities of the institute, e.g. pre-service and in-service programmes for teachers, training programme for NFE/AE personnel, Field interaction (including extention) activities, Action Research, etc.

6) Educational Technology (ET) Branch

1) To develop in collaboration with concerned staff of the DIET and other resource persons, simple, effective and low-cost teaching aids for various subjects/areas relevant to elementary education and elementary teacher education charts, diagrams, models, photographs, slides, audio tapes, play-scripts, songs etc.

2) To help the DRU in developing low-cost teaching aids as above, for Adult and Non-Formal Education.

3) To maintain the following :

• All A.V. equipment of the Institute
• Computer Laboratory
• A display area for good, low cost teaching aids developed in house as well as elsewhere, and
• A library of educational video/audio cassettes and, if the Institute has a film projector of films.

4) To lend slides, cassettes and films to institution having playing/projection facilities, and to borrow them from others Resource Centres.

5) To liase with nearby Radio station for arranging educational broadcasts suitable for elementary school children AE/NFE learners, teachers/instructors etc. of the district.

6) To conduct appropriate in-service programmes for teachers in the area of ET, with special emphasis on :

• Effective utilization of educational broadcasts, telecasts, cassettes and aids, and
• Development of simple, low-cost teaching aids

7) To conduct workshops for the development work mentioned in (i) above.

8) To provide ET-related inputs into all other programmes/activities of the Institute e.g. pre-service and in- service programmes for teachers, training programmes for NFE/AE personnel, Field Interaction (including Extension) activities, Material Development, Action Research etc.

7) Planning & Management (P & M) Branch

• To maintain an appropriate database for the district which may be required for various planning exercises aimed at the UPE/UEE/NLM goals and for monitoring progress towards these goals.
• To conduct studies with a view to giving policy advice to educational planners/administrators/DBE regarding UEE/NLM. Some of the important areas for such studies would be :
• Enrolment, retention and regularity of attendance of children and adult learners (especially females, SC/ST, minorities, handicapped, slum-dwellers and other disadvantaged groups), various factors affecting these.
• Effect of various interventions (including incentives) on the above.
• Community’s perception of and participation in the process of basic education.
• Development of norms, criteria and techniques for evaluation of institutions (Schools and AE/NFE Centres) of the district.
• To provide technical assistance to educational authorities in (i) School mapping (ii) Microplanning for UPE/UEE in an area specific and target group specific manner, (iii) formation and activation of school complexes, (iv) institutional planning for school complexs, schools etc and Institutional evaluation.
• To serve as a nodal branch in relation to all programmes of community involvement in basic education, and in particular, to conduct orientation programmes for member of DBE, VECs community leaders, youth and other voluntary educational workers.
• To conduct appropriate programmes for Head Masters, Heads of Schools Complexes and Block level educational functionaries in P & M covering area like leadership, motivation, involving the community, educational administration, finance and accounting, office procedure, planning for UPE/UEE, institutional planning etc.
• To appraise the efficacy of various programmes of educational development implemented in the district especially vis-a-vis the objectives of UPE/UEE and NLM.
• To act as a nodal branch for preparing quin-quennial and annual institutional plans and annual self evaluation reports for the DIET, and for liasing with DBE.
• To provide P & M related inputs into all other programmes/activities of the institute e.g. pre-service and in-service programmes for teachers, training programmes for NFE/AE personnel Field Interaction (including Extension) activities, Action Research etc. with special reference to the areas listed under (3).

Details of Services Rendered

Key Contributions of SCERT :

• Developing, Affiliating and Diploma awarding body for Elementary Teacher Education and Early Childhood Care and Education since 1990
• Acted as Secretariat, learning without Burden or Yash Pal Committee Report, MHRD 1993.
• Organising In-Service teacher Education Programmes for teachers in Directorate of Education and MCD.
• Director, SCERT is Chairperson of Progamme Advisory Committees of SCERT and DIETs.
• Environment building, training of Voluntary Instructors, Monitoring and Evaluation of SCERTDIETs in Delhi Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Samithi, programme for Adult Literacy Programme, 1952-2005.
• Membership in the A.K. Sharma Committee set up by the Government of Delhi for improvement of School System in Delhi.
• Membership in the Vats Committee for school reform, 2003.
• Nodal Agency for Primary Education Enhancement Project (PEEP) supported by Australian Aid and UNICEF.
• Data collection on children’s achievement in primary schools for the report compiled by Prof. Yash Aggarwal
• Developing teacher support materials, Modules, Cassettes, Question Banks, Teacher Manuals, textbooks, workbooks, film, children’s stories for teachers of MCD and Dte. of Education, 1988-till date.
• Membership in the Executive Committee and Project Management of Universalization of Elementary Education Mission 2002 till date.
• Member : Governing Body of State Open School 2003.
• Preparation of Indradhanush Elementary Education Series of text books for all subjects and all classes for classes I to VIII, 2003.
• Generated database of School Information Reports, School Profiles, Infrastructure status in the Dte. of Education school, 2000-2004.
• Evolved school improvement initiatives for school system in Delhi.
• Oriented teachers who then developed computer aided learning materials (CAL).
• Twinning Programme between 64 private schools and 84 government schools to work towards improvement of class Xth results of government schools.
• School Improvement through Life Skills Approach in 10 schools.
• SERVE Model of participatory, small group teaching-learning.
• CultureQuest Programme, an on-line initiative between 10 Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya and government schools of New York in collaboration with City College of City University of New York.
• Bridge Programme for 10,000 children transisting between class V to class VI, conducted in collaboration with 84 NGOs and around 82 schools of Directorate of Eduaction.
• Gender Sensitisation Programmes for 3000 male and female teachers in collaboration with around 50 women’s organizations and NGOs, administered gender inventory to assess extent of gender sensitivity among male and female teachers.
• Conducted workshop for atleast one teacher in each school on Inclusive Education in collaboration with O/o chief Commissioner of Disabilities and Rehabilitation Council of India.
• Summer camps for children of class X for improving results at class X.
• Oriented teachers and teacher trainees on the use of Theatre in Education.
• Introduced English Language Teaching, Information Technology in Education and Theatre in Education as part of curriculum of DIETs.
• Prepared Indradhanush Series, the Elementary Education Series of Textbooks in all subjects for classes I-VIII in use in MCD, NDMC and Directorate of Education schools in Delhi.
• Orientation for all Heads of School in on-line budgeting for schools.
• Membership in Focus Group of the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2005 developed by NCERT, participation in its syllabi & textbooks under preparation by NCERT.
• Developed B.Ed. In-service Programme for professional development of primary levels’ affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh I.P. University.
• Organization of Community Watch Group for School Education for enhancing access and effecting policy changes for school education, identification of 1.2 lakh children out of school 2000-2001.
• Preparation of Status and Infrastructure Report of Directorate of Education for schools.
• Organisation of CultureQuest Programme between children of New York & children of Government Schools in Delhi.

Faculty of SCERT have served in various capacities on deputation lien to Department of Youth Affairs’ National Council of Teacher Education, NCERT, Department of Education, Government of Botswana Bundelkhand University, Jhansi. Participation in Art in Education at Columbia Teacher Training College, organized training programmes for Lakshwadeep, and Resource Person for English Language Training in Jammu & Kashmir, Sri Lanka.

1) Citizen’s Interaction

Citizen’s interaction pertains mostly to queries related to entrance examinations, qualifications, role and functions of SCERTs courses being offered, details regarding In-Service training Programmes. Information pertaining to these are announce