Government College of Teacher Education, Thiruvananthapuram has a remarkable history starting from the early years of 20th Century. This Mother Teacher Education Institution in Kerala, the second in the field of Teacher Education in Madras Province, next to Training College at Saidapet, was established in 1895 as a Normal School on the implementation of the recommendations of Hunter Commission Report of 1882 for improving the quality of education through improving Teacher effectiveness. The Normal School was elevated to the status of a Training College in 1911 as His Highness The Maharaja’s Training College and was affiliated to Madras University. The college imparted training for both Graduate and Under Graduate Teachers of erstwhile Travancore. Those who completed the teacher training course successfully were honored with a Licentiate of Teaching (LT) degree. The training college in Trivandrum was established at par with international standards with adequate academic and administrative facilities. The original building was constructed in the shape of English letter ‘T’ with the college classes in the front row and the experimental school at the tail end. Each and every room in the building was designed keeping in view the requirements of different subjects.
The institution originally affiliated to Madras University was later transferred to Travancore University in 1937, when it was constituted by the promulgation of Maharaja of Travancore, Sri Chithira Thirunal Balaramavarma. Subsequently there was a change in the name of the degree from L T to B T (Bachelor of Training). Later, following the All India pattern, the nomenclature was changed to B Ed (Bachelor of Education).
The Silver Jubilee of the College was celebrated in 1937 and a Souvenir was published in this connection. When the University of Kerala Act, Act 14 of 1957 was brought into force, University of Travancore was renamed as University of Kerala. In 1956-57 the government sanctioned the M Ed Course in the college, which was later transformed to Department of Education under University of Kerala. The college celebrated its Platinum Jubilee in 1986.In 1994, the college was upgraded to the status of College of Teacher Education as per G O (Rt) No. 1788/94/H Edn dtd. 29-11-1994 and Government of India approved the action of the state government vide their letter No. F-49-9/93 TE dated. 21-9-1994.
This act was in continuation of the efforts of NPE 1986, and the college was entrusted with the dual responsibility of providing academic resource support to Secondary Education in the region, and acting as a Model College of Teacher Education. During the period 1994-2002 and 2008-2010, the college organized in-service courses for High School Teachers in the region. Staff Quarters, Hostels for men and women, a new block for class rooms were also constructed during 2000-01, as part of the new scheme, helping the college acquire the status of a Residential Campus. Government of Kerala sanctioned the M Ed course during 1998-99 with an annual intake of 6 students, on a condition that the existing faculty and resources only will be utilized for the course without causing any financial commitment to the government. Till 1998-99 the M Ed course is being run smoothly. The strength of M Ed has been increased to 25 during 2010-11 and again to 35 during 2013-14. At present the college is having a sanctioned strength of 200 seats for B Ed in 11 optional and 35 seats for M Ed. The college was elevated to the status of Research Centre in Education by University of Kerala in December 2006 as per the Order No. AC. E/A2-39613/03 dated 11/01/2006. Five research scholars for Doctoral Research and one for Postdoctoral research have joined the institution. The college is easily accessible as it is situated in the heart of the capital city very near (1 Km) to the Central Railway Station and Bus Station. The college is situated in an educational complex, surrounded by Government Arts College, Government Model LPS, Department of Education University of Kerala, Government Model Boys High School and Higher Secondary School. Admissions to various courses are made on the basis of Academic Merit on the qualifying degree. Rules, regulations and reservation policies are strictly followed in admissions. The college maintains a good academic atmosphere with prestigious results in the University examinations. The Principal and Faculty Members extend their resource support to extension as well as consultancy services. The Principal and Faculty are members in many Governing and Academic Bodies of Universities in Kerala, SCERT, DIET, VHSE and other Professional Organizations.
Government College of Teachers Education, Thycaud is the only Government College of Teacher Education in Southern Kerala. The College is affiliated to the University of Kerala and comes under the administrative control of Department of Higher Education and Collegiate Education, Government of Kerala. The Principal and Faculty are members of many Governing and Academic bodies of Universities in Kerala, SCERT, DIETs, VHSE, KLSMA, SRC and several other Professional Organizations. Faculty members regularly interact with these institutions by extending resource support and undertaking consultancies. The Government High School in the Campus is the laboratory school. About 20 to 25 schools are selected annually as practicing schools depending on the requirements of student teachers. Conferences of practice teaching school heads are convened every year for the smooth organization of the program. Evaluation Performa are circulated among concerned school teachers for assessing student teaching. The student teachers are directed to take individual as well as shared teaching sessions in the school. Faculty members visit at least 3 classes of each student teacher and discuss the progress of teaching with school supervisors. The institution keeps a cordial relationship with all the practice teaching schools. The College has taken up many measures for the welfare of academic community and the society as a whole. The institution is getting commendable support from PTA, Alumni, Professional Organizations and other Teacher Education Institutions for its programs at institutional and community levels. The college has organized a number of National and Regional Seminars, Conferences and Workshops for disseminating new trends in education among all its stakeholders. Moreover we are publishing a Research Journal in Education regularly since January 2006, which is already approved by different universities in Kerala. A number of community projects have been initiated by our students every year. The activities of the college are organized and monitored by the Academic Council on the basis of well laid out Academic Calendar. The college reaccredited by NAAC with A Grade in 2016.