CTET 2026 — Eligibility, Exam Pattern, Syllabus & Lifetime Validity
CTET (Central Teacher Eligibility Test) is conducted by CBSE and is the central-government teacher eligibility qualification, valid nationally for KVS/NVS/Army Schools/DSSSB and accepted by many states in place of their own TET.
- Exam: CTET, conducted by CBSE
- Two papers: Paper 1 (classes 1-5) and Paper 2 (classes 6-8) — attempt one or both
- Pattern: 150 MCQs/150 marks per paper, 2.5 hours, NO negative marking
- CTET certificate validity: LIFETIME (since a 21 June 2021 CBSE notice, applied retrospectively)
- State TETs (REET-Rajasthan, UPTET-UP, HTET-Haryana, Bihar STET) are separate exams by separate state boards — CTET does not replace them everywhere
- परीक्षा: CTET, CBSE द्वारा आयोजित
- दो पेपर: पेपर 1 (कक्षा 1-5) और पेपर 2 (कक्षा 6-8) — एक या दोनों दे सकते हैं
- पैटर्न: प्रति पेपर 150 MCQ/150 अंक, 2.5 घंटे, कोई नकारात्मक अंकन नहीं
- प्रमाणपत्र वैधता: आजीवन (21 जून 2021 के CBSE नोटिस से, पूर्वव्यापी रूप से लागू)
- राज्य TET (REET-राजस्थान, UPTET-UP, HTET-हरियाणा, बिहार STET) अलग परीक्षाएँ हैं — CTET हर जगह उनकी जगह नहीं लेता
Notification reportedly released ~11 May 2026, application window 11 May – 10 Jun 2026, exam date 6 September 2026. *These dates are from secondary portals, not independently cross-checked against the official ctet.nic.in bulletin — verify before publishing. A February 2026 cycle was confirmed held on 7-8 February 2026 via direct site fetch.
Overview
| Exam | CTET (Central Teacher Eligibility Test) |
| Conducted by | CBSE, Ministry of Education |
| Paper 1 | Classes 1-5 eligibility — 150 MCQs/150 marks/2.5 hrs |
| Paper 2 | Classes 6-8 eligibility — 150 MCQs/150 marks/2.5 hrs |
| Negative marking | None |
| Certificate validity | Lifetime (since 21 Jun 2021 CBSE notice) |
Eligibility
- Paper 1 (classes 1-5): *Senior secondary/12th with 45-50% + 2-year D.El.Ed (completed or final-year), exact percentage varies by category per NCTE norms — verify against the current Information Bulletin.
- Paper 2 (classes 6-8): *Graduation with 50% + B.Ed; OR senior secondary with 50% + 4-year B.El.Ed/B.A.Ed/B.Sc.Ed (completed or final-year).
- *No confirmed strict upper age limit found — CTET does not appear to have one, unlike recruitment exams, but this needs direct confirmation from the current bulletin.
Selection Process & Exam Pattern
- 150 MCQs, 150 marks, 2.5 hours per paper — 1 mark per question, no negative marking.
- Offline (pen-and-paper) mode, consistent since 2023.
- Paper 1 sections: Child Development & Pedagogy, Language I, Language II, Mathematics, Environmental Studies (EVS) — based on NCERT classes 1-5.
- Paper 2 sections: Child Development & Pedagogy, Language I, Language II, then either Mathematics & Science OR Social Studies/Social Science — based on NCERT classes 6-8.
Syllabus
Based on the NCERT curriculum for the relevant class range — refer to the official syllabus PDF at ctet.nic.in for exact sub-topics per section.
Major State TET/STET exams (separate from CTET)
- REET — Rajasthan, conducted by Board of Secondary Education Rajasthan (rajeduboard.rajasthan.gov.in)
- UPTET — Uttar Pradesh, conducted by U.P. Pariksha Niyamak Pradhikari (updeled.gov.in)
- HTET — Haryana, conducted by Board of Secondary Education Haryana (bseh.org.in)
- Bihar STET — Classes 9-12, conducted by Bihar School Examination Board (bsebstet.com)
Bilingual, PYQ-mapped notes built for this exam — read a full free sample unit before you buy.
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Ask the Advisor →Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a CTET certificate valid?
For life — CBSE extended validity from 7 years to lifetime via a notice dated 21 June 2021, applied retrospectively to all prior qualifiers.
Is there negative marking in CTET?
No — you get 1 mark per correct answer with no deduction for wrong answers.
Does CTET replace state TET exams like REET or UPTET?
Not automatically everywhere — individual state governments determine how they treat CTET/TET validity for their own state recruitment, so some states accept CTET in place of their own TET while others still require the state-specific exam.
Can I attempt both Paper 1 and Paper 2?
Yes, if you meet the eligibility for both, though you sit them as separate papers/attempts.
CTET प्रमाणपत्र कितने समय तक वैध है?
आजीवन — CBSE ने 21 जून 2021 के नोटिस से वैधता 7 वर्ष से बढ़ाकर आजीवन कर दी, जो सभी पूर्व उत्तीर्ण उम्मीदवारों पर भी लागू है।
क्या CTET में नकारात्मक अंकन है?
नहीं — सही उत्तर पर 1 अंक मिलता है, गलत उत्तर पर कोई कटौती नहीं।
Sources
Conducting body, pattern basics (150Q/150 marks/no negative marking), and lifetime-validity rule are well-corroborated. Exact eligibility percentage thresholds and the September 2026 cycle dates should be verified against the current Information Bulletin PDF before publishing.
Notes for CTET 2026
Zenith publishes syllabus-mapped notes for this exam in Hindi and English — written to the current pattern, reviewed by subject experts, and corrected from the feedback of students who were selected. Read one complete unit free before you decide.
Browse CTET 2026 notes →Read a full free unitHow our notes are made
CTET 2026 — नोट्स
ज़ेनिथ इस परीक्षा के लिए पाठ्यक्रम-आधारित नोट्स हिन्दी एवं अंग्रेज़ी दोनों माध्यमों में प्रकाशित करता है — वर्तमान पैटर्न के अनुसार तैयार, विषय-विशेषज्ञ द्वारा समीक्षित, और चयनित विद्यार्थियों की प्रतिक्रिया से संशोधित। निर्णय से पहले एक पूरी यूनिट निःशुल्क पढ़ें।
CTET 2026 नोट्स देखें →एक पूरी यूनिट निःशुल्कनोट्स कैसे बनते हैं