How to become a teacher in India?

If sharing knowledge and uplifting others brings you joy, then pursuing teaching as a profession would be the ideal choice for you. Besides offering a balanced work-life harmony, the role of teaching is also highly preferred since it allows you to create a positive impact on the lives of several students. You are looked up to as a role model for many since you have the desired expertise in a specific domain and have the potential to pass it on to another human. Teachers are often credited with the potential to shape the lives of youngsters. They can mold young minds with their talks, thoughts, opinions, and, above all, actions. 

For all of these reasons, every year, several students in India opt for teaching as a career choice for their future. This blog discusses the necessary steps to become a teacher in India. 

Steps to become a teacher in India

The first step to pursuing the career of your choice is to understand the exact qualifications and certifications for teaching in India. Once you have a fair idea of these, you’ll be able to prepare yourself well, knowing the skills that you need to be adept in. Listed below are the undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications required in India by most study institutions for accepting candidates as teachers.

• UG level: Students interested in pursuing teaching professions in India can enter the domain right after they complete 10+2. However, to be able to pursue teaching jobs in government schools, one must complete a B.Ed degree at the undergraduate level. After successful completion of a B.Ed, you can qualify to work as a teacher in government schools. The common entrance tests required to pursue a B.Ed program are TET, CTET, and STET. 

• PG Level: While a B.Ed is the commonly accepted qualification at most schools in India, some international schools or widely renowned study institutions may demand that students have a postgraduate degree as well. This establishes their expertise in a specific domain that they wish to teach. M.Ed is the common PG-level qualification that students can choose to pursue after completing their B.Ed or Diploma in Education. The common entrance tests for pursuing M.Ed are RIE CEE, DUET, CUET, and PTET. 

Government teacher vs. Private teacher

After pursuing formal education in teaching, students may choose to pursue job roles in either the government or private sector. To better understand how your job role as a government teacher is likely to differ from that of a private teacher, let us look at the table below:

How to become a government teacher in India?

If you are keen on pursuing a career as a teacher in a reputable government school in India, here are the steps you would need to follow to realize your dream:

1. Complete your basic education, i.e., 10+2, from a recognized school in India.
2. Choose a relevant subject for your Bachelor’s degree that you would like to teach in the future. The subject you choose at this stage will determine your teaching career paths and specializations.
3. You would need to qualify for the entrance exams to pursue teaching at the UG level (as detailed in the blog above).
4. After completing your Bachelor’s, you may choose to pursue a Master of Arts or MA in certain specialized subjects, such as English, Political Science, or Sociology. An MA qualification is also a stepping stone to pursuing a formal career in teaching. 
5. It is helpful to gain some practical experience in the field of teaching after completing your formal education.
6. You may also choose to pursue additional certifications that can add value to your teaching portfolio and boost your career prospects in the industry.
7. Once you’re ready to enter the job market, apply for a relevant job in a recognized government school. If your application is selected, you will be called for an interview. 
8. In the case of salary, note that the salaries of govt. teachers in India are determined and subject to variation based on government guidelines from time to time. 

Choose SMU to start your teaching career

Ready to start a career in teaching? Sikkim Manipal University (SMU) can help you take the first step to your dream job as a government or private teacher in India. The university is NAAC-accredited and offers UGC-entitled degrees to students worldwide on the Online Manipal platform. Sikkim Manipal’s online BA and MA programs are the perfect way to kickstart a career in teaching.  

An online BA or Bachelor of Arts acquaints you with a fair knowledge of various disciplines. This allows students to choose their area of specialization as they progress on their academic journey, according to what they wish to teach in their job role. The online BA program at Sikkim Manipal University offers combinations of Sociology, English, and Political Science. 

Students can gain deeper insights into the varied challenges and rewards of a teaching career by pursuing online MA courses from Sikkim Manipal. Also available in the same 3 combinations stated above, the MA program is the next step from BA and a brilliant opportunity to master a specific study domain that can be useful in your teaching career.

Conclusion

Teaching is one of the noblest professions globally and also an ideal career choice for many. The perfect work-life balance, job security, and attractive pay packages as you upgrade your qualifications, experience, and skills, lure several students. In India, pursuing a BA degree in any major is the perfect first step to a career in teaching. You can always advance your knowledge and skills in the domain with an MA course that can also help you climb up the success ladder in your teaching roles.   

Sikkim Manipal University offers online BA and MA programs for students. The courses open up lucrative career opportunities for students in the world of teaching, considering the salary expectations for teachers in India.