The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), in collaboration with the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Delhi, has conducted a five-day capacity-building programme for school teachers under the Reimagined NISHTHA initiative. Organised from November 2 to 6, 2026, the programme focused on strengthening teachers’ understanding of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and preparing them to implement the proposed curricular and pedagogical changes in classrooms.The training programme was held at Shaheed Hemu Kalani Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya in Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi, under the Samagra Shiksha scheme. It covered the foundational, preparatory and middle stages of school education, with an emphasis on improving teaching practices, classroom engagement and student assessment.The initiative comes as schools continue to work towards adopting the recommendations of NEP 2020 and the National Curriculum Frameworks (NCFs). Teachers were introduced to the revised NCERT textbooks and different approaches to making classroom learning more inclusive, participatory and centred on students’ needs.
NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani inaugurates NISHTHA training programme
The programme was inaugurated by NCERT Director Prof. Dinesh Prasad Saklani, who attended the inaugural session as the chief guest. Jatin Goel, Director of SCERT Delhi, was also present at the event.The five-day initiative was designed to build teachers’ capacity across different stages of school education and familiarise them with the academic and institutional changes envisaged under NEP 2020.The training covered several aspects of school education, including school culture and leadership, digital education, child-centric learning, inclusive education and student well-being. These areas were addressed to help teachers understand how policy recommendations can be translated into practical classroom strategies.
NISHTHA training focuses on teaching methodologies, assessment practices
A major component of the programme was the emphasis on stage-specific and subject-specific pedagogical approaches. Teachers were introduced to teaching methodologies suited to the learning requirements of students at the foundational, preparatory and middle stages.Assessment practices and the Holistic Progress Card (HPC) also featured in the training sessions. The focus on HPC was aimed at familiarising teachers with a broader approach to evaluating students’ progress beyond conventional academic performance.The programme also included collaborative group activities, presentations and practical exercises. Teachers worked on preparing classroom action plans, allowing them to consider how the concepts discussed during the training could be incorporated into everyday teaching.Digital education and inclusive classroom practices were among the other areas covered during the sessions. The training sought to strengthen teachers’ ability to address diverse learning requirements while creating an environment that supports students’ overall development.
Reimagined NISHTHA initiative aligned with NEP 2020
The Reimagined NISHTHA programme is part of broader efforts to equip teachers with the knowledge and professional skills required to implement the curricular and pedagogical reforms proposed under NEP 2020.The policy places emphasis on foundational learning, competency-based education, experiential learning and the holistic development of students. Its implementation requires changes not only in curriculum and textbooks but also in classroom practices, teacher preparation and student assessment.Through the capacity-building programme, NCERT and SCERT Delhi sought to familiarise teachers with these priorities and provide them with practical inputs to support their implementation at the school level.The programme’s focus on the three school education stages was particularly relevant to the transition towards the curricular structure and pedagogical approach outlined in the National Curriculum Frameworks.
NCERT stresses mission-mode implementation of NEP 2020 at valedictory session
The five-day programme concluded with a valedictory session chaired by Prof. Sridhar Srivastava, Dean (Coordination), NCERT. Addressing the participants, he emphasised the need to take the initiative forward through a mission-mode approach to ensure the effective implementation of NEP 2020.Prof. Anand Arya and representatives from various curricular groups shared their experiences and feedback from the training sessions. Prof. Suniti Sanwal presented the report outlining the proceedings and outcomes of the five-day programme.Dr. Sukhvinder outlined the future course of action for NISHTHA, while the concluding session also featured a post-training survey and discussions on translating the objectives of NEP 2020 into classroom practices.The programme was coordinated by Dr. Sukhvinder, Prof. Anand Arya and Dr. Monu Singh Gurjar from NCERT. Dr. Angel Rathnabai and the CIET-NCERT technical team provided technical support.Officials from SCERT Delhi, including Joint Director Mukesh Yadav, Dr. Sanjay Kumar and Sonia Kakkar, also contributed to the organisation of the initiative.With the completion of the training, the focus now shifts to how teachers incorporate the approaches and practices discussed during the sessions into their respective classrooms. The initiative underlines the importance of sustained teacher capacity-building in translating the objectives of NEP 2020 into everyday school education.
