PRAYAGRAJ, April 2 -- The Diploma in Elementary Education (DElEd), once a popular pathway for aspiring teachers in Uttar Pradesh, is witnessing a sharp decline in interest among local candidates. However, since the programme opened to applicants from other states in 2024, demand from outside UP has been steadily rising. Data shows that 34,124 candidates from other states applied for DElEd in 2024, rising to 37,333 in 2025. In contrast, admissions from within Uttar Pradesh have fallen dramatically: 1,91,162 candidates enrolled in 2024, but only 95,817 secured admission in 2025, filling roughly 40% of the total seats, officials said. For the 2025 session, UP offered a total of 2,39,500 seats-10,600 at 67 District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) and 2,28,900 at private and minority colleges, including 10,309 in minority institutions. Nearly 30% of the admissions, around 29,000 seats, went to candidates from states such as Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan, data shows, they added. Education experts suggest the declining interest among UP youth may be due to limited job prospects in government schools, as there have been no teacher recruitments in state-run primary and upper primary schools since 2018. Changing career priorities among young aspirants also appears to be a factor. The DElEd programme, formerly known as the Basic Training Certificate (BTC), is a two-year diploma designed to prepare candidates for teaching in government-run primary and upper primary schools. The growing reliance on candidates from other states raises concerns about the future of teacher training in Uttar Pradesh and the sustainability of local talent pipelines. Confirming the trend, Anil Bhushan Chaturvedi, secretary of the Exam Regulatory Authority, UP, which manages DElEd admissions, said the 2025 enrollment concluded on March 28 with a total of 95,817 trainees....