Teacher in Training: What It Really Takes to Become a Teacher in India

When you hear teacher in training, a person learning the skills and knowledge needed to become a certified educator. Also known as teacher candidate, it usually means someone enrolled in a formal program—like B.Ed., D.El.Ed., or CTET prep—that turns classroom learners into classroom leaders. This isn’t just about knowing your subject. It’s about learning how to manage a room of 50 kids, how to explain fractions to a child who’s never seen a ruler, and how to stay calm when the power goes out and the textbook is gone.

Most teacher preparation, the structured process of learning how to teach, including pedagogy, classroom management, and subject mastery in India happens through government-approved colleges. But the real test isn’t the exam—it’s the internship. You’ll spend weeks in a rural school where the blackboard is cracked, the fans don’t work, and half the students haven’t finished Class 5. That’s where theory meets reality. And that’s where most people either fall in love with teaching… or walk away.

The teaching certification, a mandatory credential required to teach in government or recognized private schools in India you need depends on where you want to teach. Want to teach in a government school? You’ll need CTET or STET. Want to teach in a private school in Mumbai? They might ask for a B.Ed. plus a demo class. And if you’re aiming for a central government job like KVS or NVS? You’ll need to clear a competitive exam that’s harder than most engineering entrance tests.

There’s no magic formula. Some people learn by watching their favorite teacher. Others learn by failing—messing up a lesson, losing control of the class, or realizing they don’t know how to explain the Pythagorean theorem in simple words. But every great teacher started as a teacher in training who kept showing up, even when it felt impossible.

What you’ll find in these articles isn’t a checklist. It’s a map. From the hidden costs of teacher training programs to the exams no one talks about, from how to survive your first teaching internship to what actually makes a new teacher successful—these posts are written by people who’ve been there. No fluff. No theory without practice. Just what you need to know before you step into a classroom and realize you’re the only one who can help these kids learn.