Mumbai: The Maharashtra govt’s decision to mandate 50 hours of annual teacher training under a new govt resolution (GR) has triggered concern among educators, who warn that rising digital workloads, weak implementation and a lack of specialised trainers could blunt the impact of the policy.The GR, issued on May 6, raises the annual continuous professional development (CPD) requirement from 30 to 50 hours, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the rollout of a revised curriculum, including the 5+3+3+4 structure. It mandates 30 hours of offline training and 20 hours online through govt-approved platforms.Madhav Suryavanshi of the Shikshan Vikas Manch said the added requirement risks overburdening teachers already grappling with multiple digital systems. “Teachers today are navigating a vast variety of apps for everything—from classroom teaching to even withdrawing salaries. Adding another mandatory requirement will only increase their workload,” he said. He also flagged gaps in execution. “Greater emphasis must be placed on effective implementation of physical training sessions. Attendance is often irregular and participation remains casual,” Suryavanshi said, adding with competency-based learning gaining ground, training must prioritise lesson planning, teacher preparedness and continuous self-learning.The GR has emphasised blended learning approaches, peer learning and exposure to modern pedagogical practices, particularly as classrooms shift towards competency-based education, continuous assessment and increased integration of digital tools. A centralised tracking system is also proposed to monitor compliance and ensure teachers complete the mandated hours.Mahendra Ganpule, former vice-president of the Maharashtra Principals Association, underscored that while training is essential—particularly during major curriculum changes, it needs sharper targeting. training is usually generic in nature. What is fundamentally needed is more individualised training—focusing on specific skill gaps of teachers rather than a uniform module for all,” he said.Pointing to persistent implementation failures, Tushar Mhatre, a school teacher from Vashi, said even well-designed programmes often fall short on the ground. “Even when teacher training is designed well, its implementation lags desperately. There is a clear need for specialised trainers. Often, those appointed lack adequate preparation or any specialised skills,” he said.Mhatre added that earlier attempts to improve training quality had shown potential but were not sustained. “A few years ago, there were specialised instructors trained in collaboration with IIT Bombay for maths and science training, and they were quite effective. But the programme didn’t take off in the long run,” he said.
