Teaching Competence of Student Teachers: A Comparative study of Standalone, Composite and Multidisciplinary B.Ed. Colleges.

This study investigated the teaching competence of B.Ed. student teachers across three institutional frameworks in India—standalone, composite, and multidisciplinary colleges—within the context of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 mandates. Utilizing a quantitative normative survey design, data were collected from 300 student teachers using a highly reliable Teaching Competence Scale (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.923) covering domains such as pedagogy, communication, and professional responsibility. Statistical analysis via one-way ANOVA and t-tests revealed no significant difference in overall teaching competency mean scores based on institutional type ($F = 1.851, p > 0.05$), gender, age, or rural background. However, a significant difference was identified among student teachers from urban backgrounds ($F = 3.498, p = 0.033$), specifically between those in composite and multidisciplinary institutions. These findings suggest that while the policy shift toward multidisciplinary teacher education is progressive, current standalone and composite models are maintaining comparable competency standards, indicating that the transition to the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) requires a nuanced approach that preserves the pedagogical strengths of existing diverse institutional structures.