G.S. Singhvi, J. - (1.) Leave granted.
(2.) The only question which needs consideration in these appeals is whether the Appellants who had not been granted recognition by the Western Regional Committee of the National Council for Teacher Education and who did not get affiliation from the examining body in accordance with the provisions of the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993 (for short, Rs. the Act) and the National Council for Teacher Education (Recognition, Norms and Procedure) Regulations, 2007 (for short, Rs. the Regulations) are entitled to question the order passed by the Division Bench of the Bombay High Court, Nagpur Bench whereby recognition granted to over 290 institutions was cancelled.
(3.) With a view to achieve the object of planned and coordinated development for the teacher education system throughout the country and for regulation and proper maintenance of norms and standards in the teacher education system and for matters connected therewith, Parliament enacted the Act for the establishment of a Council to be called the National Council for Teacher Education (for short, "the NCTE") with multifarious functions, powers and duties. Section 2(c) of the Act defines the term "Council" to mean a Council established under Sub-section (1) of Section 3. Section 2(i) defines the term "recognized institution" to mean an institution recognized under Section 14. Section 2(j) defines the term "Regional Committee" to mean a Committee established under Section 20. Section 3 provides for establishment of the Council which comprises of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, a Member-Secretary, various functionaries of the Government, thirteen persons possessing experience and knowledge in the field of education or teaching, nine members representing the States and Union Territories Administration, three members of Parliament, three members to be appointed from amongst teachers of primary and secondary education and teachers of recognized institutions. Section 12 of the Act enumerates functions of the Council. Section 14 provides for recognition of institutions offering course or training in teacher education. Section 15 lays down the procedure for obtaining permission by an existing institution for starting a new course or training. Section 16 contains a non obstante clause and lays down that an examining body shall not grant affiliation to any institution or hold examination for a course or training conducted by a recognized institution unless it has obtained recognition from the concerned Regional Committee under Section 14 or permission for starting a new course or training under Section 15. The mechanism for dealing with the cases involving violation of the provisions of the Act or the rules, regulations, orders made or issued there under or the conditions of recognition by a recognized institution finds place in Section 17. By an amendment made in July, 2006, Section 17A was added to the Act. It lays down that no institution shall admit any student to a course or training in teacher education unless it has obtained recognition under Section 14 or permission under Section 15. Section 29 declares that the NCTE shall, in the discharge of its functions and duties under the Act be bound by such directions on questions of policy as the Central Government may give in writing from time to time and the decision of the Central Government as to whether a question is one of policy or not shall be final. Section 31(1) empowers the Central Government to make rules for carrying out the provisions of the Act. Section 31(2) specifies the matters in respect of which the Central Government can make rules. Under Section 32(1) the Council can make regulations for implementation of the provisions of the Act subject to the rider that the regulations shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of the Act and the rules made there under. Section 32(2) specifies the matters on which the Council can frame regulations. Sections 12, 14 to 16 and 17A of the Act, which have bearing on the decision of these appeals read as under: 12. Functions of the Council.- It shall be the duty of the Council to take all such steps as it may think fit for ensuring planned and coordinated development of teacher education and for the determination and maintenance of standards for teacher education and for the purposes of performing its functions under this Act, the Council may- (a) undertake surveys and studies relating to various aspects of teacher education and publish the result thereof; (b) make recommendations to the Central and State Governments, Universities, University Grants Commission and recognized institutions in the matter of preparation of suitable plans and programmes in the field of teacher education; (c) coordinate and monitor teacher education and its development in the country; (d) lay down guidelines in respect of minimum qualifications for a person to be employed as a teacher in schools or in recognized institutions; (e) lay down norms for any specified category of courses or training in teacher education, including the minimum eligibility criteria for admission thereof, and the method of selection of candidates, duration of the course, course contents and mode of curriculum; (f) lay down guidelines for compliance by recognized institutions, for starting new courses or training and for providing physical and instructional facilities, staffing pattern and staff qualifications; (g) ********** (h) ********** (i) ********** (j) examine and review periodically the implementation of the norms, guidelines and standards laid down by the Council and to suitably advise the recognized institutions; (k) ********** (l) ********** (m) ********** (n) perform such other functions as may be entrusted to it by the Central Government. 14. Recognition of institutions offering course or training in teacher education.-(1) Every institution offering or intending to offer a course or training in teacher education on or after the appointed day, may, for grant of recognition under this Act, make an application to the Regional Committee concerned in such form and in such manner as may be determined by regulations: Provided that an institution offering a course or training in teacher education immediately before the appointed day, shall be entitled to continue such course or training for a period of six months, if it has made an application for recognition within the said period and until the disposal of the application by the Regional Committee. (2) The fee to be paid along with the application under Sub-section (1) shall be such as may be prescribed. (3) On receipt of an application by the Regional Committee from any institution under Sub-section (1), and after obtaining from the institution concerned such other particulars as it may consider necessary, it shall,- (a) if it is satisfied that such institution has adequate financial resources, accommodation, library, qualified staff, laboratory and that if fulfils such other conditions required for proper functioning of the institution for a course or training in teacher education, as may be determined by regulations, pass an order granting recognition to such institution, subject to such conditions as may be determined by regulations; or (b) if it is of the opinion that such institution does not fulfil the requirements laid down in Sub-clause (a), pass an order refusing recognition to such institution for reasons to be recorded in writing: Provided that before passing an order under Sub-clause (b), the Regional Committee shall provide a reasonable opportunity to the concerned institution for making a written representation. (4) ********** (5) Every institution, in respect of which recognition has been refused shall discontinue the course or training in teacher education from the end of the academic session next following the date of receipt of the order refusing recognition passed under Clause (b) of Sub-section (3). (6) Every examining body shall, on receipt of the order under Sub-section (4),- (a) grant affiliation to the institution, where recognition has been granted; or (b) cancel the affiliation of the institution, where recognition has been refused. 15. Permission for a new course or training by recognized institution.- (1) Where any recognized institution intends to start any new course or training in teacher education, it may make an application to seek permission therefore to the Regional Committee concerned in such form and in such manner as may be determined by regulations. (2) The fees to be paid along with the application under Sub-section (1) shall be such as may be prescribed. (3) On receipt of an application from an institution under Sub-section (1), and after obtaining from the recognized institution such other particulars as may be considered necessary, the Regional Committee shall,- (a) if it is satisfied that such recognized institution has adequate financial resources, accommodation, library, qualified staff, laboratory, and that it fulfils such other conditions required for proper conduct of the new course or training in teacher education, as may be determined by regulations, pass an order granting permission, subject to such conditions as may be determined by regulation; or (b) if it is of the opinion that such institution does not fulfil the requirements laid down in Sub-clause (a), pass an order refusing permission to such institution, for reasons to be recorded in writing: Provided that before passing an order refusing permission under Sub-clause (b), the Regional Committee shall provide a reasonable opportunity to the institution concerned for making a written representation. (4) ********** 16. Affiliating body to grant affiliation after recognition or permission by the Council.-Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, no examining body shall, on or after the appointed day,- (a) grant affiliation, whether provisional or otherwise, to any institution; or (b) hold examination, whether provisional or otherwise, for a course or training conducted by a recognized institution, unless the institution concerned has obtained recognition from the Regional Committee concerned, under Section 14 or permission for a course or training under Section 15. 17-A. No admission without recognition.- No institution shall admit any student to a course or training in teacher education, unless the institution concerned has obtained recognition under Section 14 or permission under Section 15, as the case may be. ;