CTET (Central Teacher Eligibility Test) is a national-level examination for candidates aspiring to teach Classes I to VIII in schools across India. It aims to assess teaching competence and ensure qualified candidates enter the teaching profession.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducts CTET on behalf of the Government of India under the Ministry of Education. The official website is https://ctet.nic.in. CBSE organizes the examination and issues eligibility certificates to qualified candidates.
- If your dream is to teach in schools like Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVS), Army Public Schools, or reputed private schools across India, the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) is an important exam to consider.
- Many beginners have questions about CTET, including its meaning, conducting authority, exam frequency, eligibility criteria, Paper I and Paper II differences, B.Ed eligibility, and the benefits of qualifying.
- This complete guide explains all the essential information in simple, easy-to-understand language.
If you have a Graduation degree and a Diploma in Education (D.El.Ed / B.El.Ed / Special Education), you are eligible to apply for both Paper I and Paper II.
- Conducting Body: Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
- Exam Level: National-level Teacher Eligibility Test for teaching Classes 1 to 8.
- Frequency: Generally conducted twice a year, subject to the official CBSE notification.
- Exam Mode: Offline (OMR-based) examination consisting of multiple-choice questions (MCQs).
- Teaching Opportunities: CTET qualification can be relevant for teaching recruitment in KVS, NVS, Army Schools, and private schools, subject to the respective eligibility requirements.
- Job Guarantee: Qualifying CTET does not guarantee employment. Candidates must meet the recruitment requirements of the respective organization.
- Certificate Validity: The CTET eligibility certificate is valid for a lifetime.
- Reattempt Opportunity: Candidates can appear for CTET again to improve their scores.
Paper 1 & Paper 2 Highlights
| Particulars | CTET Paper 1 Highlights | CTET Paper 2 Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Exam mode | Offline (OMR Based) | Offline (OMR Based) |
| Number of subjects/sections | 5 | 4 |
| Names of subjects | Child Development and Pedagogy (30) Language I (30) Language II (30) Mathematics (30) Environmental Studies (30) | Child Development and Pedagogy (30) Language I (30) Language II (30) Mathematics and Science OR Social Studies/Social Science (30+30) |
| Duration of exam | 2 hours 30 minutes (150 minutes) | 2 hours 30 minutes (150 minutes) |
| Total questions | 150 | 150 |
| Type of questions | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Total marks | 150 | 150 |
| Marking scheme | +1 for correct answer, 0 for incorrect answer | +1 for correct answer, 0 for incorrect answer |
| Language of question paper | English and Hindi (candidate can attempt in either language) | English and Hindi (candidate can attempt in either language) |
| Exam shift | Morning shift (9:30 AM – 12:00 Noon) | Afternoon shift (2:30 PM – 5:00 PM) |
Exam Pattern 2026
Paper 1 (Classes I-V)
| Section | Number of Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Child Development and Pedagogy | 30 | 30 |
| Mathematics | 30 | 30 |
| Environmental Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Language I (Compulsory) | 30 | 30 |
| Language II (Compulsory) | 30 | 30 |
| Total | 150 | 150 |
Paper 2 (Classes VI–VIII)
| Section | Number of Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Child Development and Pedagogy | 30 | 30 |
| Language I (Compulsory) | 30 | 30 |
| Language II (Compulsory) | 30 | 30 |
| Mathematics & Science OR Social Science | 60 | 60 |
| Total | 150 | 150 |
Qualifying Marks
- General Category: Candidates must secure 60%, equivalent to 90 marks out of 150.
- Reserved Category: Candidates may receive relaxation as per applicable recruitment rules, with approximately 55% (82 marks) as a reference.
Important Dates of CTET 2026 Exam
Here are all the important dates for CTET September 2026 that candidates must note carefully:
| Event | Important Date |
|---|---|
| Notice Published | 08 May 2026 |
| Start of Online Application | 11 May 2026 |
| Last Date to Submit Online Application | 10 June 2026 (till 11:59 PM) |
| Last Date to Submit Examination Fee | 10 June 2026 (till 11:59 PM) |
| Online Correction Window | 15 June 2026 to 18 June 2026 |
| Admit Card Download | Two days before the exam date |
| Date of Examination | 06 September 2026 (Sunday) (tentative) |
| Result Declaration | By end of October 2026 (tentative) |
CTET Paper-1 Syllabus: For Primary Teachers
The CTET paper-1 syllabus covers five main subjects. Let’s look at each one:
Child Development and Pedagogy (30 Questions)
This section carries 30 MCQs divided into three units:
- Child Development (Primary School Child) – 15 MCQs
- Concept of development and its relationship with learning
- Principles of child development
- Influence of heredity and environment
- Socialization processes
- Theories by Piaget, Kohlberg, and Vygotsky
- Child-centered and progressive education
- Intelligence concepts and multi-dimensional intelligence
- Language and thought development
- Gender as a social construct
- Individual differences among learners
- Assessment methods and evaluation
- Inclusive Education and Understanding Children with Special Needs – 5 MCQs
- Addressing learners from diverse backgrounds
- Addressing needs of children with learning difficulties
- Supporting talented, creative, and specially abled learners.
- Learning and Pedagogy – 10 MCQs
- Children’s thinking and learning processes
- Teaching and learning processes
- Problem-solving approaches
- Alternative learning conceptions
- Cognition, emotions, and motivation in learning
- Factors contributing to learning
Read More – CTET Last 10 Years Previous Year Question Papers: Download Free PDFs
Language I (30 Questions)
Language I refers to the medium of instruction chosen by the candidate. This section contains 30 MCQs divided into two parts:
- Language Comprehension – 15 MCQs
- Reading unseen passages (prose/drama, and poem)
- Questions on comprehension, inference, grammar, and verbal ability.
- Pedagogy of Language Development – 15 MCQs
- Learning and acquisition
- Principles of language Teaching
- Role of listening and speaking; function of language and how children use it as a tool
- Critical perspective on the role of grammar in learning a language for communicating ideas verbally and in written form
- Challenges of teaching language in a diverse classroom; language difficulties, errors and disorders
- Language Skills
- Evaluating language comprehension and proficiency: speaking, listening, reading and writing
- Teaching- learning materials: Textbook, multi-media materials, multilingual resource of the classroom
- Remedial Teaching
Language II (30 Questions)
Language II must be different from Language I and follow a similar structure with 30 MCQs:
- Language Comprehension – 15 MCQs
- Two unseen prose passages
- Questions on comprehension, grammar, and verbal ability.
- Pedagogy of Language Development – 15 MCQs
- Learning and acquisition
- Principles of language Teaching
- Role of listening and speaking; function of language and how children use it as a tool
- Critical perspective on the role of grammar in learning a language for communicating ideas verbally and in written form;
- Challenges of teaching language in a diverse classroom; language difficulties, errors and disorders
- Language Skills
- Evaluating language comprehension and proficiency: speaking, listening, reading and writing
- Teaching – learning materials: Textbook, multi-media materials, multilingual resource of the classroom
- Remedial Teaching
4. Mathematics (30 Questions)
The Mathematics section tests both content knowledge and pedagogical understanding with 30 MCQs:
- Content – 15 MCQs
- Geometry
- Shapes & Spatial Understanding
- Solids around Us
- Numbers
- Addition and Subtraction
- Multiplication
- Division
- Measurement
- Weight
- Time
- Volume
- Data Handling
- Patterns
- Money
- Pedagogical Issues – 15 MCQs
- Nature of Mathematics/Logical thinking; understanding children’s thinking and reasoning patterns and strategies of making meaning and learning
- Place of Mathematics in Curriculum
- Language of Mathematics
- Community Mathematics
- Evaluation through formal and informal methods
- Problems of Teaching
- Error analysis and related aspects of learning and teaching
- Diagnostic and Remedial Teaching
5. Environmental Studies (30 Questions)
The final section of Paper 1 covers Environmental Studies with 30 MCQs:
- Content – 15 MCQs
- Family and relationships
- Work, play, animals, and plants
- Food, shelter, and water
- Travel
- Human creations and activities
- Pedagogical Issues – 15 MCQs
- Concept and scope of EVS
- Significance of EVS, integrated EVS
- Environmental Studies & Environmental Education
- Learning Principles
- Scope & relation to Science & Social Science
- Approaches of presenting concepts
- Activities
- Experimentation/Practical Work
- Discussion
- CCE
- Teaching material/Aids
- Problems
CTET Exam Paper-2 Syllabus: For Upper Primary Teachers
The CTET Paper 2 syllabus covers subject-wise topics from which questions are asked in the examination. Understanding the syllabus helps candidates plan their preparation effectively and improve their performance. Candidates can check the detailed CTET Paper 2 syllabus 2026, organized by subject, below.
1. Child Development and Pedagogy (30 Questions)
- This is similar to Paper 1 but focuses on older children (ages 11-14). You need to understand:
- Similar to Paper 1, this section has 30 MCQs but focuses on the educational psychology relevant to the 11-14 years age group:
- Child Development (Elementary School Child) – 15 MCQs
- Concept of development and its relationship with learning
- Principles of the development of children
- Influence of Heredity & Environment
- Socialization processes: Social world & children (Teacher, Parents, Peers)
- Piaget, Kohlberg and Vygotsky: constructs and critical perspectives
- Concepts of child-centred and progressive education
- Critical perspective of the construct of Intelligence
- Multi-Dimensional Intelligence
- Language & Thought
- Gender as a social construct; gender roles, gender-bias and educational practice
- Individual differences among learners, understanding differences based on diversity of language, caste, gender, community, religion etc.
- Distinction between Assessment for learning and assessment of learning;
- School-Based Assessment, Continuous & Comprehensive Evaluation;
- Assessing readiness levels of learners; enhancing learning and critical thinking in the classroom and for assessing learner achievemen
- Inclusive Education and Understanding Children with Special Needs – 5 MCQs
- Addressing learners from diverse backgrounds including disadvantaged and deprived
- Addressing the needs of children with learning difficulties, ‘impairment’ etc.
- Addressing the talented, creative, specially-abled Learnersl
- Learning and Pedagogy – 10 MCQs
- How children think and learn; how and why children ‘fail’ to achieve success in school performance.
- Basic processes of teaching and learning; children’s strategies of learning; learning as a social activity; social context of learning.
- Child as a problem solver and a ‘scientific investigator’
- Alternative conceptions of learning in children, understanding children’s ‘errors’ as significant steps in the learning process.
- Cognition & Emotions
- Motivation and learning
- Factors contributing to learning – personal & environmental
2. Language I (30 Questions)
Language I: Comprehension (15 MCQs)
- Reading unseen passages – two passages one prose or drama and one poem
- Questions will be from comprehension, inference, grammar and verbal ability
- (Prose passage may be literary, scientific, narrative or discursive)
Language I: Pedagogy of Language Development (15 MCQs)
- Learning and acquisition
- Principles of language Teaching
- Role of listening and speaking; function of language and how children use it as a tool
- Critical perspective on the role of grammar in learning a language for communicating ideas verbally and in written form
- Challenges of teaching language in a diverse classroom; language difficulties, errors and disorders
- Language Skills
- Evaluating language comprehension and proficiency: speaking, listening, reading and writing
- Teaching- learning materials: Textbook, multi-media materials, multilingual resource of the classroom
- Remedial Teaching
3. Language II (30 Questions)
Language II: Comprehension (15 MCQs)
- Two unseen prose passages (discursive or literary or narrative or scientific)
- Questions on comprehension, grammar and verbal ability
Language I: Pedagogy of Language Development (15 MCQs)
- Learning and acquisition
- Principles of language Teaching
- Role of listening and speaking; function of language and how children use it as a tool
- Critical perspective on the role of grammar in learning a language for communicating ideas verbally and in written form
- Challenges of teaching language in a diverse classroom; language difficulties, errors and disorders
- Language Skills
- Evaluating language comprehension and proficiency: speaking, listening, reading and writing
- Teaching- learning materials: Textbook, multi-media materials, multilingual resource of the classroom
- Remedial Teaching
4. Mathematics and Science OR Social Studies (60 Questions)
Candidates have to choose between Mathematics and Science, OR Social Studies/Social Sciences, based on their teaching preference:
Mathematics Section (for Mathematics and Science teachers)
- Content- 20 MCQs
- Number System
- Knowing our Numbers
- Playing with Numbers
- Whole Numbers
- Negative Numbers and Integers
- Fractions
- Algebra
- Introduction to Algebra
- Ratio and Proportion
- Geometry
- Basic geometrical ideas (2-D)
- Understanding Elementary Shapes (2-D and 3-D)
- Symmetry: (reflection)
- Construction (using Straight edge Scale, protractor, compasses)
- Mensuration
- Data handling
- Pedagogical Issues – 10 MCQs
- Nature of Mathematics/Logical thinking
- Place of Mathematics in Curriculum
- Language of Mathematics
- Community Mathematics
- Evaluation
- Remedial Teaching
- Problem of Teaching
Science Section (for Mathematics and Science teachers)
- Content- 20 MCQs
- Food
- Sources of food
- Components of food
- Cleaning food
- Materials
- Materials of daily use
- The World of the Living
- Moving Things People and Ideas
- How things work
- Electric current and circuits
- Magnets
- Natural Phenomena
- Natural Resources
- Pedagogical Issues – 10 MCQs
- Nature & Structure of Sciences
- Natural Science/Aims & objectives
- Understanding & Appreciating Science
- Approaches/Integrated Approach
- Observation/Experiment/Discovery (Method of Science)
- Innovation
- Text Material/Aids
- Evaluation – cognitive/psychomotor/affective
- Problems
- Remedial Teaching
Social Studies/ Social Sciences Section
- Content- 20 MCQs
- History
- When, Where and How
- The Earliest Societies
- The First Farmers and Herders
- The First Cities
- Early States
- New Ideas
- The First Empire
- Contacts with Distant lands
- Political Developments
- Culture and Science
- New Kings and Kingdoms
- Sultans of Delhi
- Architecture
- Creation of an Empire
- Social Change
- Regional Cultures
- The Establishment of Company Power
- Rural Life and Society
- Colonialism and Tribal Societies
- The Revolt of 1857-58
- Women and reform
- Challenging the Caste System
- The Nationalist Movement
- India After Independence
- Geography
- Geography as a social study and as a science
- Planet: Earth in the solar system
- Globe
- Environment in its totality: natural and human environment
- Air
- Water
- Human Environment: settlement, transport and communication
- Resources: Types-Natural and Human
- Agriculture
- Social and Political Life
- Diversity
- Government
- Local Government
- Making a Living
- Democracy
- State Government
- Understanding Media
- Unpacking Gender
- The Constitution
- Parliamentary Government
- The Judiciary
- Social Justice and the Marginalised
- History
- Pedagogical Issues – 10 MCQs
- Concept & Nature of Social Science/Social Studies
- Class Room Processes, activities and discourse
- Developing Critical thinking
- Enquiry/Empirical Evidence
- Problems of teaching Social Science/Social Studies
- Sources – Primary & Secondary
- Projects Work
- Evaluation
Start your CTET preparation today and take a confident step toward a rewarding teaching career. Build your knowledge, strengthen your teaching skills, and work toward achieving your dream of becoming a qualified teacher.
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