Vol. 11, Issue 11, Part A (2025)

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, released by the Government of India, lays down a comprehensive framework for reforming the education system. In India, teacher training programmes are generally categorized as pre-service and in-service teacher training programmes. Pre-service teacher education is training received by prospective teachers before they become teachers, equipping them with foundational knowledge and skills for the profession. In contrast, in-service teacher education provides ongoing professional development and support for practicing teachers after they have entered the classroom, helping them to stay current with new methods and technologies. This paper explores the skills and role of teachers, the comparative analysis of teacher’s and teacher educator’s professional development to adapt towards evolving educational needs and enhance students and prospective teachers learning outcomes as outlined by the NEP 2020, examining the policy's objectives for development, pedagogy, and professional growth, analyse-How the professional development (PD) of teachers and teacher educators differ significantly in its institutional focus, reflecting their distinct institutional roles and the unique needs of their "students”.?, How the professional development (PD) of teachers and teacher educators differs significantly in its, priorities of core function, skills and competences, professional development activities, best practices fostering professional growth reflecting their distinct roles and needs in the educational system?, How the professional development of both teachers and teacher educators is ideally interconnected?. Effective professional development for both teachers and teacher educator’s fosters engaging in reflective practices, promotes commitment to lifelong learning, adopting relevant pedagogical practices, collaborating within professional networks to meet the evolving demands of education and ensures that educational system remain progressive and aligned with 21st-century demands.