The Department of Teacher Training & Non-Formal Education was established as a Teacher Training Institute in 1938 under the inspiring leadership of Dr. Zakir Husain in response to the need to prepare teachers for the Basic Education Scheme launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1937. This Teacher Training Institute was perhaps the first of its kind in the country to have started training of teachers for Basic schools which were offering crafts centered indigenous education to children. The T.T.I. gradually expanded its activities and got developed into Teachers’ College. T.T.I. who also took lead in the country by offering teacher training programme for Art Teachers in schools. The college refurbished in its programmes and activities under the dynamic and dedicated leadership of its two great teacher educators Mr. Saeed Ansari and Dr. Salamatullah who nourished this institution until it attained the status of a Faculty of Education. In the process of reorganization the Teacher’s College and its Facultization in 1980, three departments were formed viz. Department of Teacher Training and Non Formal Education, Department of Foundations of Education and Department of Fine Arts & Art Education.
In pursuance of the recommendations of the NPE, 1986 a centrally sponsored scheme of Strengthening and Reorganization of Teacher Education was adopted by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in 1987 under which many teacher training institutions were to be strengthened and a selected number was to be upgraded to the status of Institutes of Advanced Studies in Education (IASEs) . The Department of Teacher Training & Non-Formal Education of the Jamia was the first institution in the country to have been upgraded to IASE under this scheme in 1988. Obviously this up gradation had accorded due recognition to the past services and contributions made by the Department of Teacher Training & Non-Formal Education to the cause of teacher education and had expressed the faith of the Government in the progressive traditions of this historic institution. The purpose of up gradation is to develop the institution into a centre of excellence in teaching and research. The broad functions of the Institute are: imparting pre-service and in-service education to the secondary/special education/elementary/nursery school teachers; preparing personnel for elementary teacher education institutions and their continuing education; developing and publishing for dissemination useful material for teachers and teacher-educators; and undertaking research, innovation and extension work in the field. The Institute had been carrying out most of these functions even before its up gradation as an IASE except that now there is an enhanced emphasis on continuing education. The Institute publishes quality material produced by its faculty for use by the classroom practitioners

• Diploma in Elementary Education (2year)
• prepares teachers for elementary schools
• B.Ed 1(year) prepares teachers for secondary/ Sr. secondary schools (at present training in 17 school subjects being offered)
• B.Ed ( special Education) 1(year) prepares teachers for children with special needs: in areas of (Visual Impairment & Learning Disability
• B.Ed (Nursery Education) 1(year) prepares teachers for nursery school and teacher educators for nursery / primary Education
• M.Ed (Special Education) 1(year) prepares teacher educators for Special Education in V.I. & L.D.)
• M.A. (Education) 2(years) prepares teacher educators
• Ph.D. Programme.

• Instruction in all programmes is arranged in Urdu, Hindi, and English, and teachers produced for all the stages of school Education.
• As a unique feature, Work Experience through learning a craft has been made an integral part of teacher preparation programmes. The crafts include: (Paper craft, Gardening, Wood Work, Soft Toy making, Tie & Dye, Electrical Gadgets, Music, Interior Decoration.
• Comprehensive and continuous evaluation system is adopted to evaluate the developing teachers where due weightage is given to internal assessment.
• Lot of emphasis is given on personality development of the student teachers: NSS, co curricular activities & games- sports are integral components of teacher preparation programmes.
• Department produces and publishes material useful for teachers and teacher educators.
• Organizes professional development programmes for teachers, teachers educators, educational administrators, curriculum developers and others.
• Centre for all programmes in education offered by IGNOU and NIOS.
• A very competent and experienced faculty (more than 40 faculty numbers), well known all over the country. Besides teaching & training, faculty is engaged in conducting and guiding research (more than 100 Ph.D. scholars are enrolled at one time), producing teaching learning material, and contributing to various programmes organized by other premier institutions: NCERT,NCTE, CBSE, NUEPA, IGNOU, NIOS, and other institution.