District Institute of Educational Training
District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) is an educational institution in India that plays a crucial role in the training and professional development of teachers. These institutes were established to enhance the quality of education.
IETs were supposed to provide academic leadership under the Government of India’s flagship, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan programme for which each DIET has a provision of adequate number of faculty positions. Of the different departments, Planning and Monitoring was supposed to take the lead towards formulation of district plans earlier under the aegis of DPEP and later Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan programme. But in reality, DIET, except in a few states having separate cadre, like districts in Kerala and Gujarat could play the role as envisaged in the original scheme. Evaluation studies conducted on behalf of the Government of India by NIEPA also confirmed lack of their involvement in district planning and research activities.While all the inputs listed in the preceding paragraph are crucial, the last two are especially so. About teachers, the Education Commission (1964-66) had observed, “of all the factors that influence the quality of education… the quality, competence and character of teachers are undoubtedly the most significant”. But these in turn depend substantially on the quality of training and other support provided to them. The importance of the last input mentioned in the preceding para viz. academic and resource support-can therefore hardly be over-emphasized.