INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH CULTURE SOCIETY

Competencies are fundamental to delivering quality education and enabling students to achieve their learning goals. The primary objective of this study was to assess the competencies of elementary prospective teachers in Meghalaya. The research involved 234 elementary prospective teachers selected from multiple District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET) institutions across the state. A standardized tool, the Teachers’ Competencies Measurement Scale (TCMS), was administered to evaluate five core competencies: Language and Communication, Content Knowledge, Pedagogy, Teacher Psychology, and Educational Evaluation. The findings indicated moderate overall competency levels among the prospective teachers. Teacher Psychology emerged as the strongest area, followed closely by Pedagogy. Language and Communication also demonstrated relatively strong performance. In contrast, Content Knowledge was slightly weaker, while Educational Evaluation was identified as the weakest domain, highlighting a critical area for improvement in teacher preparation programs. Importantly, the study found no significant mean difference in competencies with respect to gender, suggesting equitable competency development across male and female trainees. However, a significant mean difference was observed with respect to the year of study, indicating that progression through the program influences competency acquisition. These results underscore the need for targeted interventions in teacher education curricula, particularly to strengthen content mastery and evaluation skills. Enhancing these competencies will better equip future elementary teachers to foster effective learning environments in Meghalaya’s diverse classrooms. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers and DIET institutions to refine training modules and bridge existing gaps in prospective teachers’ professional readiness.