CTET (Central Teacher Eligibility Test)
What is CTET, which paper should I take, what score passes, and when is the next CTET held?
CTET is the Central Teacher Eligibility Test, which CBSE runs for the Ministry of Education. Passing it is one of the qualifications for teaching Classes I to VIII in central government schools such as KVS and NVS, in the schools of some union territories and in CBSE-affiliated schools. Passing it does not lead to a job by itself. Paper I is for Classes I to V and Paper II for Classes VI to VIII. This page follows CBSE's information bulletin for the 22nd edition and the public notice of 14 September 2026, which moved the exam to 12 and 13 December 2026.
This page may be out of date. It was due for a re-check on 28 February 2027. Confirm every rule with the official source before acting on it.
Applications for the 22nd edition are closed. The exam is on 12 and 13 December 2026; the page is re-checked when CBSE announces the result or the next edition.
Exam at a glance
- Conducted by
- Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), CTET Unit, for the Ministry of Education[1]
- Next exam (22nd edition)
- 12 and 13 December 2026[2]
- Papers
- Paper I for Classes I to V, Paper II for Classes VI to VIII; take both to qualify for both levels[1]
- Each paper
- 150 multiple-choice questions, 150 marks, 2 hours 30 minutes, no negative marking[1]
- Pass mark
- 60% or more, which is 90 of 150 in a paper[1]
- Who can sit it
- Anyone with the minimum teacher qualifications set by NCTE, or by the recruitment rules of KVS, NVS or the government where the school is[1]
- Age limit
- The bulletin sets none[1]
- Certificate validity
- For life, with no limit on attempts[1]
- Fee (22nd edition)
- One paper Rs 1,000 (Rs 500 for SC, ST and differently abled); both papers Rs 1,200 (Rs 600); GST extra[1]
This check runs in your browser and sends nothing anywhere. It applies the paper, fee and pass-mark rules in CBSE's information bulletin for the 22nd edition of CTET, checked 19 October 2026. It does not check your teaching qualification; the school or recruiter that hires you does that.
Paper II: where the 150 marks are
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Child Development and Pedagogy | 30 | 30 |
| Mathematics | 30 | 30 |
| Environmental Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Language I | 30 | 30 |
| Language II | 30 | 30 |
| Total | 150 | 150 |
Questions follow the NCERT syllabus for Classes I to V, but their difficulty can go up to the secondary stage. Child Development and Pedagogy is about learners aged 6 to 11.[1]
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Child Development and Pedagogy | 30 | 30 |
| Mathematics and Science (for Mathematics and Science teachers), or Social Studies/Social Science (for Social Studies teachers) | 60 | 60 |
| Language I | 30 | 30 |
| Language II | 30 | 30 |
| Total | 150 | 150 |
Teachers of other subjects pick either of the two subject sections. In Mathematics and Science, each subject carries 30 marks. Questions follow the NCERT syllabus for Classes VI to VIII, with difficulty up to the senior secondary stage.[1]
| Category | One paper | Both papers |
|---|---|---|
| General and OBC (non-creamy layer) | Rs 1,000 | Rs 1,200 |
| SC, ST and differently abled | Rs 500 | Rs 600 |
GST is charged extra by the bank. The fee is not refunded or carried over to a later test.[1]
Under the Right to Education Act, NCTE made passing a Teacher Eligibility Test one of the minimum qualifications for teaching Classes I to VIII. CTET is the central government's version of that test.
CTET applies to central government schools (KVS, NVS, Central Tibetan Schools and others) and to schools run by the union territories of Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and Delhi. Unaided private schools may choose to accept it. State government and aided schools go by their own state's TET, unless the state decides to use CTET instead. In CBSE-affiliated schools, teachers of Classes I to VIII appointed from 6 March 2012 must have passed CTET or a TET held under NCTE's guidelines.
Passing CTET does not give anyone a right to a job. It is one condition for appointment, and the school or recruiting agency checks the rest.[1]
The bulletin does not list qualifications itself. You need the minimum qualifications for teachers in NCTE's regulations, or those in the recruitment rules of KVS, NVS or the government where the school is. Read the current NCTE regulations on ncte.gov.in for your level before you apply.
NCTE allows up to 5% relaxation in the qualifying marks of the minimum educational qualification for SC, ST, OBC and differently abled candidates.
CBSE does not verify your eligibility when it lets you sit the test. The recruiter does that at appointment, and you are responsible if you were not eligible.[1]
Under NCTE's notification of 11 February 2011, you pass with 60% or more, which is 90 out of 150. School managements may give concessions to SC, ST, OBC and differently abled candidates under their own reservation policy, and should give weight to CTET scores when they recruit.
The certificate is valid for life for all categories. You can take CTET as many times as you like, and a candidate who has passed can sit it again to improve the score. Mark sheets and eligibility certificates are issued digitally in DigiLocker.
There is no re-evaluation or re-checking. Before the result, CBSE shows the answer key and your OMR sheet for two to three days, and you can challenge an answer for a non-refundable Rs 1,000 a question.[1]
- Child Development and Pedagogy: how children develop and learn, Piaget, Kohlberg and Vygotsky, inclusive education and children with special needs, assessment, motivation and how children think.
- Mathematics (Paper I): content such as numbers, the four operations, geometry, measurement, time, money and data handling, plus 15 questions on how to teach it.
- Environmental Studies (Paper I): family and friends, food, shelter, water, travel and things we make and do, plus 15 questions on teaching EVS.
- Language I and II: comprehension of unseen passages and the teaching of language. Language II must differ from Language I. You choose both from 27 languages, including English, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil and Urdu.
- Paper II subject section: Mathematics and Science, or Social Studies, based on the NCERT syllabus for Classes VI to VIII, with questions on both content and teaching.
Source[1]
- 8 May 2026: CBSE announced the 22nd edition for 6 September 2026.
- 11 May to 10 June 2026: online applications.
- 25 August to 1 September 2026: the portal reopened for eligible candidates who had missed the first window, after a Supreme Court judgment on giving serving teachers a fair chance to get the TET qualification.
- 7 to 10 September 2026: one-time correction window.
- 14 September 2026: CBSE fixed the exam for 12 and 13 December 2026.
- 15 days before the exam: your exam city and date appear on the CTET portal. Two days before: the admit card, with the centre.
Source[2]
Tips and tricks
- Pick Language I and Language II with care: Language I tests the language you would teach in, and Language II must be a different language.[1]
- Give Child Development and Pedagogy real time. It is 30 marks in both papers, and teaching-method questions also fill half of each Paper I subject, half of each language section and a third of Paper II's subject section.[1]
- Enter your name and date of birth exactly as on your Class 10 certificate. Corrections are allowed only once, in the window CBSE announces.[1]
- Reach the centre two hours before your paper. Candidates who arrive after the paper starts are not let in.[1]
Questions people ask
What is the passing mark in CTET?
60% or more, which is 90 out of 150 in a paper. School managements may give SC, ST, OBC and differently abled candidates concessions under their own reservation policy.[1]
Which CTET paper should I take?
Paper I if you want to teach Classes I to V, Paper II for Classes VI to VIII, and both papers if you want to teach at both levels.[1]
Is there negative marking in CTET?
No. All 150 questions are multiple choice with one mark each, and a wrong answer loses nothing.[1]
How long is a CTET certificate valid?
For life, for all categories. CBSE changed this in 2021 after NCTE dropped the old seven-year limit, and the current bulletin repeats it.[3]
Is there an age limit for CTET?
The CTET bulletin gives no age limit and no limit on attempts. Recruiters set their own age rules when they hire.[1]
When is the next CTET?
The 22nd edition is on 12 and 13 December 2026, under CBSE's notice of 14 September 2026. Applications closed on 1 September 2026.[2]
Does passing CTET get me a teaching job?
No. It is one of the qualifications for appointment, not a recruitment exam. KVS, NVS and other employers run their own recruitment.[1]
Connected pages
- Related · DegreeBA (Bachelor of Arts)How long a BA takes, the honours and research year, majors and minors, the CUET tests that get you in, and the MA through CUET (PG). From UGC and NTA.
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Official and partner links
Sources
- Information Bulletin, CTET September 2026 (22nd edition), Central Board of Secondary Education, CTET Unit. Important notes (fee); paras 1, 4, 6-13, 15-16, 18-22; Appendix I (syllabus). Linked from ctet.nic.in. Accessed 19 October 2026.
- Public Notice: Conduct of 22nd Edition of Central Teacher Eligibility Test, dated 14 September 2026, with the public notices of 8 May 2026, 25 August 2026 and 7 September 2026, Central Board of Secondary Education, CTET Unit. Single page. Earlier notices on ctet.nic.in: 8 May 2026 (dates, 27 languages, 132 cities), 25 August 2026 (portal reopened 25.08.2026 to 01.09.2026), 7 September 2026 (correction 07.09.2026 to 10.09.2026). Accessed 19 October 2026.
- Public Notice: Validity Period of TET qualifying certificate, dated 21 June 2021, Central Board of Secondary Education, CTET Unit. Single page (English). Accessed 19 October 2026.
Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us through the corrections page. Updated 19 October 2026.