[3] Before 1995, the NCTE had existed since 1973 as a government advisory body (and not as a separate institution) to look after development and progress of "teacher education".

As per the NCTE's own admission, it failed in its objective of overlooking and, to an extent, regularising norms and processes in teachers' education in India because of lack of formal jurisdiction.

To that effect, the National Policy on Education, 1986[4] allowed setting up of a government-authorised institution with formal powers.

- Prepare guidelines for conducting academic activities in teacher education institutions (TEIs).

[9] Four official 'Regional Committees' of NCTE operate from Jaipur, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar and Bhopal handling the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western regions respectively.