CTET
Mandatory eligibility certificate for teaching Classes I–VIII in central government schools (Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, schools under Union Territory administrations) and widely accepted by state and private schools.
Eligibility
Paper I (Classes I–V): senior secondary with at least 50% plus a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) or 4-year B.El.Ed; graduates with D.El.Ed are also eligible. Paper II (Classes VI–VIII): graduation plus B.Ed, or graduation with 50% plus a 1-year B.Ed, or senior secondary with 50% plus a 4-year integrated degree such as B.El.Ed or B.A./B.Sc.-B.Ed. Candidates in the final year of teacher training may apply. There is no upper age limit and no cap on attempts; the qualifying certificate is valid for life.
Age limit: No upper age limit; unlimited attempts
Exam pattern
Pen-and-paper Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) test with two independent papers of 2 hours 30 minutes each; candidates aspiring to teach both levels may take both. Each paper has 150 multiple-choice questions of 1 mark each, with no negative marking. Paper I covers Child Development and Pedagogy (CDP), Language I, Language II, Mathematics and Environmental Studies (30 questions each). Paper II covers CDP, Language I and Language II (30 each) plus a 60-question section in either Mathematics and Science or Social Studies. Qualifying score is 60% (90/150) for general category, with relaxation to around 55% for reserved categories as per appointing bodies.
Syllabus at a glance
Child Development and Pedagogy (learning theories of Piaget, Vygotsky and Kohlberg, inclusive education, assessment, National Curriculum Framework 2005, Right to Education Act 2009) runs through the whole paper. Content sections are pitched at NCERT Classes I–VIII level: Mathematics, Environmental Studies, Science and Social Studies, each with a pedagogy sub-part. Two language sections test comprehension and pedagogy of language development in the chosen languages (27 language options).
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Admit card release | Late Aug – early Sept 2026 | expected |
| CTET September 2026 exam | 6 Sept 2026 (5 Sept as additional day if candidate numbers require) | confirmed |
| Provisional answer key | Mid-late Sept 2026 | expected |
| Result declaration | Oct 2026 | expected |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- A Complete Resource for CTET: Child Development and Pedagogy — Sandeep Kumar (Pearson)
- CTET Success Master Paper I / Paper II — Arihant Experts
- Child Development & Pedagogy for CTET & TETs — Himanshi Singh (Adda247)
- CTET Previous Years' Solved Papers — Disha Experts
- NCERT textbooks, Classes I–VIII (Mathematics, EVS, Science, Social Science)
How toppers play it
- There is no negative marking — never leave any of the 150 questions blank; educated guesses cost nothing.
- Treat Child Development and Pedagogy (CDP) as the backbone: besides its own 30 questions, every subject section carries pedagogy questions, so theorists (Piaget, Vygotsky, Kohlberg), NCF 2005 and inclusive education repay study across roughly half the paper.
- Pick Language I and II tactically — choose languages you read fastest, because the passage-based questions are the most reliable marks in the paper.
- Aim well above the 90/150 qualifying line (100+): recruiters such as KVS, NVS and DSSSB use CTET scores in shortlisting or weightage, so a bare pass undersells you.
- Solve the official previous papers from ctet.nic.in — the question style is remarkably stable, especially in CDP and EVS, and repeated themes are common.