CTET 2026: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released notification for the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) for the February 2026 session. The application portal for the exam is live from 27th November 2025 and interested candidates will have time up to 18th December 2025 to submit their forms.
This examination is an essential eligibility test for candidates aspiring to become teachers for classes I to VIII across various schools in India. The CTET 2026 examination aims to set national standards for teacher quality and improve the recruitment process.
Also read: SLET 2026 Notification released; Get complete details here
Eligibility
The minimum qualifications for appearing in the CTET 2026 are as notified by NCTE. Hereby, candidates are advised to visit the website of NCTE to ascertain their eligibility.
Minimum Educational Qualifications for Paper I (Classes I to V):
- Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks and passed or appearing in the final year of a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education.
- Or, Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 45% marks and passed or appearing in the final year of a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education, following the NCTE Regulations, 2002.
- Or, Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks and passed or appearing in the final year of 4-year Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed).
- Or, Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks and passed or appearing in the final year of a 2-year Diploma in Education (Special Education).
- Or, Graduation with at least 50% marks and passing or appearing in final year of Bachelor of Education (B.Ed). A candidate who has acquired the qualification or Bachelor of Education from an NCTE-recognized institution shall be considered for appointment as a teacher in classes I to V, provided the person appointed shall mandatorily undergo a 6-month Bridge Course in Elementary Education recognized by the NCTE, within two years of such appointment as a primary teacher.
- Or, Post-Graduation with a minimum of 55% marks or equivalent grade and passing or appearing in the final year of a three-year integrated B.Ed.-M.Ed.
Minimum Educational Qualifications for Paper II (Classes VI to VIII):
- Graduation and have passed/ are appearing in the final year of a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education.
- Or, at least 50% marks either in Graduation or in Post-Graduation and passed or appearing in final year Bachelor in Education (B.Ed).
- Or, Graduation with at least 45% marks and passing or appearing in final year Bachelor in Education (B.Ed), following the NCTE Regulations issued from time to time in this regard.
- Or, Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks and passed or appearing in the final year of 4-year Bachelor in Elementary Education (B.El.Ed).
- Or, Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks and passed or appearing in the final year of 4-year B.A/ B.Sc.Ed or B.A.Ed/ B.Sc.Ed.
- Or, Graduation with at least 50% marks and passing or appearing in final year B.Ed. (Special Education).
- Or, any candidate having a qualified B.Ed. program recognized by the NCTE is eligible to appear in TET/ CTET. Moreover, as per the existing TET guidelines circulated vide NCTE letter dated 11-02-2011, a person who is pursuing any of the teacher education courses (recognized by the NCTE or the RCI, as the case may be) specified in the NCTE Notification dated 23rd August 2010 is also qualified to appear in the TET/ CTET.
- Or, Post-Graduation with a minimum of 55% marks or equivalent grade and passing or appearing in the final year of a three-year integrated B.Ed.-M.Ed.
Exam Scheme
All questions in CTET 2026 will be Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), with four alternatives out of which one answer will be most appropriate. Each carries one mark and there will be no negative marking.
There will be two papers on CTET.
- Paper I will be for a person who intends to be a teacher for classes I to V.
- Paper II will be for a person who intends to be a teacher for classes VI to VIII.
A person who intends to be a teacher for both levels (classes I to V and classes VI to VIII) will have to appear in both the papers (Paper I and Paper II)
Paper-I (Class I to V)
| Subject | No. of MCQs | 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 |
Paper- II (for Classes VI to VIII)
| Subject | No of MCQ | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Child Development and Pedagogy | 30 | 30 |
| Mathematics and Science (for Mathematics and Science teacher) OR Social Studies/ Social Science (for Social Studies/ Social Science teacher) | 60 | 60 |
| Language I | 30 | 30 |
| Language II | 30 | 30 |
| Total | 150 | 150 |
Documents Required
- Aadhaar Card
- 10th pass certificate
- 12th pass certificate
- Certificate of highest qualification
- Valid identity proof
- Photograph of the candidate in jpg/jpeg format, 3.5 cm (width) x 4.5 cm (height) and the size of the file should be between 10 kb and 100 kb
- Scanned signature of the candidate in jpeg/ jpg format, 3.5 cm (width) x 1.5 cm (height) and the size of the file should be between 3 kb and 30 kb
Steps to apply
- Firstly, the candidate should visit the official website of the CTET 2026 (scroll down for the direct link)
- Click on the “Apply for CTET Feb 2026” link
- On the new page, click on the link for application portal
- You will be then redirected to the application portal
- Click on the ‘New Registration’ button
- Read the Instructions and Procedures mentioned there and then get yourself registered on the portal
- Once the registration process is completed, log in and fill out the application form
- Upload the necessary documents in the prescribed format
- Then proceed to the payment section and pay the applicable fees
- Lastly, download and take a printout of the application form and payment receipt of CTET 2026 for future reference
Application Fees
| Category | Only Paper I or II | Both Paper I & II |
|---|---|---|
| General/ OBC-NCL | Rs. 1000/- | Rs. 1200/- |
| SC/ ST/ Differently Abled Person | Rs. 500/- | Rs. 600/- |
Key Dates
| Release of Notification | 25th November 2025 |
| Opening of Application portal | 27th November 2025 |
| Last date to apply | 18th December 2025 |
| Last date of payment | 18th December 2025 |
| Correction window | 23rd to 26th December 2025 |
| Issue of Admit Cards | 2 days before the day of the Exam |
| Date of Exam (CTET 2026) | 8th February 2026 |
| Declaration of Result | By the end of March 2026 |
Important Links
| Official Website |
| Information Bulletin of CTET 2026 |
| Link to apply |
| CTET Previous Year Question Papers with Answer Keys |
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