Quality teacher preparation at the elementary level is fundamental to achieving equitable and effective schooling. In India, the Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) trains future elementary teachers who will shape learning during children’s foundational years. However, persistent gaps in curriculum design, context-sensitive textbooks, and teaching-learning resources—especially in the North-East region and states like Tripura—undermine the capacity of D.El.Ed students to learn pedagogical principles deeply and to translate them into classroom practice. This paper examines the need for properly constructed, contextually relevant curricula, textbooks and resource materials for D.El.Ed students in India, with a focused analysis on Tripura. Using an interpretive qualitative methodology—document analysis of policy texts (NEP 2020; NCFTE), review of state curricular materials, and literature on teacher education in the North-East—this study identifies critical issues: mismatches between national frameworks and local needs, inadequate locally-relevant textbook material, limited multilingual resources, poor integration of practicum and digital resources, and uneven teacher educator capacities. The paper offers recommendations: a revised context-responsive D.El.Ed curriculum aligned with NEP 2020 and NCTE norms; development of regional textbooks and resource banks in local languages; stronger practicum models with community linkages; digital resource integration (DIKSHA and state portals); and sustained capacity building for teacher educators. Implementation of these measures can improve the preparedness of D.El.Ed graduates to teach inclusively in Tripura’s multilingual, culturally diverse classrooms.