Education in its holistic approach serves many purposes. It enables a person to stretch his potentialities for welfare of self, family and society. Education enthuses the individual with responsibility of developing and sustaining a just socio-economic system, conserving and transmitting human heritage, moreover adopting a sensible and sensitive approach towards utilization of resources. These aspirations can’t be accomplished in absence of proficient educational system, especially a professionally competent teacher. Student teachers enter the initial teacher training programme with already established beliefs and value system. Their perception of teacher and teaching profession can play a significant role in developing competencies to be an adept teacher. This paper is an effort to get a glimpse of student teachers’ preferred competencies.
A paramount factor in the teaching learning system is the teacher. A sound educational system can flourish if two conditions are successfully met. First is the constant updating and refinement in knowledge and skill of serving teachers and second one is equipping student teachers (teacher trainees) with befitting competencies and positive attitude towards profession. Competencies are specific and demonstrable characteristics or attributes inevitable for teaching professionals to create a convincing and learner friendly environment. Competencies being concerned with three domains of learner’s behavior are imperative for teacher to bear prime responsibilities. Besides disseminating knowledge, teacher helps students:
a) To develop rationale and scientific temperament.
b) To foresee advancements in all spheres of life and its impact on the society.
c) To help students in conserving and transmitting values nurtured by the society.