Enhancing Educational Administration Through Practices in Teacher Education Programs Under the Guidelines of NEP 2020: An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 marks a transformative shift in the Indian education system, emphasizing decentralization, institutional autonomy, and educational leadership. Central to this reform is the reimagining of teacher education as a powerful instrument to build administrative capabilities at all levels of schooling. This exploratory study examines how practices embedded within teacher education programs contribute to enhancing educational administration in alignment with NEP 2020. Using a qualitative, thematic analysis approach, data were collected through interviews, focus group discussions, and policy document reviews involving teacher educators, institutional heads, and education administrators across diverse teacher education institutions. The findings reveal a growing convergence between pedagogical training and administrative preparedness, with several institutions adopting NEP-aligned innovations such as integrated administrative modules, experiential governance tasks, and decentralized decision-making simulations. However, systemic constraints like resource gaps, inconsistent curriculum implementation, and insufficient faculty development hinder uniform policy translation. The study underscores the need to embed structured administrative training into teacher preparation programs like ITEP and B.Ed., while recommending robust institutional frameworks to bridge policy and practice. The research offers insights into policy enactment, capacity-building strategies, and leadership development, with implications for teacher education reforms and governance excellence in India's evolving educational landscape.