The Gujarat government has made significant changes to the admission criteria for Pre-Primary Teachers Certificate (Pre-PTC/D.El.Ed.) courses. The upper age limit for applicants has been raised from 24 to 30 years, allowing more candidates a chance to enter the teaching profession later in life.
Additionally, the revised rules provide a five-year extension for candidates from reserved categories. This means eligible individuals from SC, ST, SEBC, EWS, and Divyang backgrounds can now apply until they are 35 years old. It’s worth noting that the age calculation will be based on July 1 of the academic year.
Another important change is the increase in available seats at Pre-PTC institutions by 25%. Each batch will now have 62 seats instead of the previous 50. The breakdown of these seats includes:
- Open: 26 seats
- SEBC: 17 seats
- ST: 9 seats
- SC: 4 seats
- EWS: 6 seats
Candidates must still achieve at least a 50% aggregate in Class 12 from recognized boards. However, those from reserved categories continue to receive a relaxation of up to 5% in their minimum marks requirement.
The government has also relaxed medium-of-instruction rules. Candidates can apply based on their medium of study during Class 10 or Class 12 and may choose a different medium if there are vacant positions after initial admissions.
This overhaul aims to make teacher training more accessible for older applicants and encourage more individuals to pursue careers in pre-primary education across Gujarat.