A study by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to assess the impact of in-service teachers' training on the actual classroom practices and students' learning says serious steps should be taken to review and redesign the training programme.

In Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat, the impact of in-service teacher training on the actual classroom practices and students' learning have been found good. Whereas, in Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Nagaland it was found to be at the lower end, says a study by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

Other states covered under the study, less than half of the teachers perceived in-service training were not relevant.

The study is an assessment of the efficacy of the 'In-service Education for Teachers' (INSET) programme undertaken every year for primary and upper primary teachers under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to improve the quality of elementary education in the country. It was conducted across 15 states – Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Gujarat, Haryana, J&K, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The study focused on the training provided during 2010-11.

The states were ranked on the basis of NCERT's National Achievement Survey for Class V conducted during 2011.

Follow-on training was found to be very weak in most states. The study, which was coordinated by the Department of Teacher Education, also highlights that the impact of the training is partial and so is the student achievement in most states.

Analysis of the training package indicated limited content and material on reflection and knowledge construction as envisaged in the National Curriculum Framework (NCF)-2005. This is reflected by the fact that overall 55 percent teachers found the training not relevant.

In Haryana, 79 percent of the teachers considered training not relevant. However, training was found relevant by 86 percent teachers in Tamil Nadu, 73 percent in J&K and 63 percent in Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

The report recommends that steps should be taken to redesign in-service training of teachers keeping in view recommendations of the Justice Verma Committee report for improving learning of elementary schoolchildren.