New Delhi, Jan. 27 -- Government school teachers' promotions will now be linked to classroom performance and demonstrated competencies rather than seniority alone, with the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) rolling out the National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST), a new framework that seeks to reshape how teachers are assessed, promoted, and professionally developed across India.

The shift, aligned with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, calls for common guiding standards that outline expectations from teachers at different stages of expertise and the competencies required at each level of schooling. It has triggered unease among a section of teachers even as NCTE officials argued it is essential to professional...