In a major relief, the National Council of Teachers Education (NCTE) has agreed to permit the BEd colleges to conduct `provisional' admissions for the next academic year sans its recognition.

Thus, nearly hundred out of the 144 BEd colleges in the State, who are yet to seek NCTE's mandatory recognition for running the course, will now be able to conduct the admission process for over 10,000 seats which were at stake.

Highly placed sources at the directorate of Higher Education told The Indian Express that a decision to the effect was taken by the council following State's plea that some more time be given to the BEd colleges to conform to its guidelines.

NCTE, established as a nodal body for teachers' education in the country, had last year made it mandatory for all BEd colleges to obtain its recognition.

The council had ruled out any grounds of compromise while granting the recognition. Virtually in a state of panic by the council decision to say `absolute no' to admission without recognition, the universities in the State had lobbied hard with the State Government to plead their case before the council.

Meanwhile, strongly worded letters have been dashed off to all the vice-chancellors of the state universities asking them to issue necessary instructions to the BEd colleges for seeking NCTE recognition at the earliest.

One of the guidelines issued by NCTE for standardising teachers' education in the country, include that the teacher-student ratio in the BEd college should be maintained as one teacher per ten students. ``The directorate has clearly told the universities to ensure that all BEd colleges meet this requirement,'' said a highly placed officer at the directorate.

While the council has given the much-needed breather for the BEd colleges, it has on the other hand further intensified its inspection drive.

It may be noted that while on one had the BEd colleges have reacted in panic to the NCTE fiat, only about 50 colleges have so far secured the council's recognition.

This has happened despite the fact that Higher Education Directorate had earlier issued `letters of caution' to all the universities asking them to be prepared for the inspection and implement necessary corrective measures to make for the deficiencies if any.

The council is carrying out the inspection of BEd colleges through its regional office at Bhopal. According to the procedure, the colleges are being graded and subsequently affiliated to the council for running the course.