CTET September 2026 - Online Application

Opening Overview

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Delhi, has released the Information Bulletin for the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) September 2026. Eligible candidates can apply online for Paper I, Paper II, or both papers from 11/05/2026 to 10/06/2026. The examination is scheduled for 06/09/2026, with a possible additional examination date of 05/09/2026 if required.

Course / Examination Details

Important Dates

Application Fee

GST, as applicable, will be charged extra by the bank. The fee can be paid online through debit card, credit card, or net banking. Fees paid through money order, demand draft, IPO, or any other mode will be rejected. The fee once paid will not be refunded or adjusted for a future examination.

Eligibility / Qualification

The minimum educational qualifications for appearing in CTET are prescribed by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) and the applicable recruitment rules of the concerned government or school authority.

Candidates must possess the minimum educational qualification required for becoming a teacher for the selected level:

• Paper I: Teaching Classes I to V.
• Paper II: Teaching Classes VI to VIII.
• Both Papers: Teaching Classes I to V and Classes VI to VIII.

Candidates may be required to hold or be pursuing an applicable B.Ed., Diploma in Education, Diploma in Elementary Education, or other NCTE-prescribed teacher education qualification, as applicable to the selected paper. Candidates appearing in the final examination of the qualifying course may select the relevant appearing status where permitted.

The eligibility of candidates will be finally verified by the concerned recruiting agency or appointing authority. Permission to appear in CTET does not mean that eligibility has been verified and does not confer any right to recruitment or employment.

A relaxation of up to 5% in the qualifying marks of the minimum educational qualification is allowed for candidates belonging to reserved categories such as SC, ST, OBC, and differently abled categories, as notified by NCTE.

Examination Papers

All questions are multiple-choice questions with four alternatives. Each question carries one mark and there is no negative marking.

Paper I Exam Pattern

Paper I questions are based on the NCERT syllabus for Classes I to V, although the difficulty level and linkages may extend up to the Secondary stage.

Paper II Exam Pattern

Candidates applying for Paper II must select either Mathematics and Science or Social Studies/Social Science. Paper II questions are based on the NCERT syllabus for Classes VI to VIII, with difficulty and linkages that may extend up to the Senior Secondary stage.

Language Options

Candidates must select two languages for CTET. Language II must be different from Language I. The available languages and codes are:

Language I focuses on proficiency related to the medium of instruction. Language II focuses on language elements, communication, and comprehension abilities. The main question paper will be bilingual in Hindi and English.

Syllabus Details

Paper I Syllabus

Paper I includes the following areas:

• Child Development and Pedagogy: Child development, learning and development, heredity and environment, socialisation, Piaget, Kohlberg and Vygotsky, child-centred education, intelligence, inclusive education, children with special needs, learning and pedagogy, cognition, emotions, motivation, and factors affecting learning.
• Mathematics: Geometry, shapes and spatial understanding, solids, numbers, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, measurement, weight, time, volume, data handling, patterns, money, mathematical reasoning, evaluation, error analysis, diagnostic teaching, and remedial teaching.
• Environmental Studies: Family and friends, relationships, work and play, animals, plants, food, shelter, water, travel, things we make and do, EVS concepts, environmental education, learning principles, activities, experiments, discussion, CCE, teaching aids, and teaching problems.
• Language I and Language II: Unseen passages, comprehension, inference, grammar, verbal ability, language acquisition, language teaching, listening and speaking, language skills, evaluation, teaching-learning materials, multilingual classrooms, and remedial teaching.

Paper II Syllabus

Paper II includes Child Development and Pedagogy, Language I, Language II, and one of the following subject groups:

• Mathematics and Science: Number system, algebra, ratio and proportion, geometry, symmetry, construction, mensuration, data handling, mathematical pedagogy, food, materials, the living world, moving things, electric current and circuits, magnets, natural phenomena, natural resources, science pedagogy, experimentation, observation, evaluation, and remedial teaching.
• Social Studies / Social Science: History, geography, social and political life, the Constitution, parliamentary government, judiciary, social justice, diversity, government, democracy, resources, agriculture, colonialism, the Revolt of 1857-58, the nationalist movement, India after independence, classroom processes, enquiry, critical thinking, primary and secondary sources, project work, and evaluation.

For detailed subject-wise content, candidates should refer to the NCERT syllabus and textbooks for Classes I to VIII.

Qualifying Marks and CTET Certificate

A candidate scoring 60% or more in the TET examination is considered to have passed CTET, as per the applicable NCTE notification. School managements may provide concessions to SC, ST, OBC, differently abled, and other eligible categories according to their reservation policies.

The CTET qualifying certificate is valid for lifetime for all categories. There is no restriction on the number of attempts. A qualified candidate may appear again to improve their score.

CBSE will provide mark sheets to all candidates and eligibility certificates to successful candidates in digital format through DigiLocker. The documents will be digitally signed and will contain an encrypted QR code for verification.

Examination Schedule

Candidates arriving after the commencement of the examination will not be allowed to enter. The examination centre and, if required, the examination date will be allotted randomly by CBSE. Candidates cannot select or request a change of examination city or date.

How to Apply

Candidates can submit the CTET September 2026 application online through the CTET website or the CBSE website.

1. Visit https://ctet.nic.in or https://www.cbse.gov.in.
2. Open the Apply Online link.
3. Complete the authentication form and online application form.
4. Select Paper I, Paper II, or both papers.
5. Select two languages, ensuring that Language II is different from Language I.
6. Select the applicable Paper II subject, if applying for Paper II.
7. Upload the latest photograph and signature in JPG/JPEG format.
8. Pay the examination fee through debit card, credit card, or net banking.
9. Submit the application form and note the Registration Number/Application Number.
10. Download and print the Confirmation Page for future reference.

The scanned photograph must be between 10 KB and 100 KB with dimensions of 3.5 cm by 4.5 cm. The scanned signature must be between 3 KB and 30 KB with dimensions of 3.5 cm by 1.5 cm. The Confirmation Page is not required to be sent to the CTET Unit.

Only one online application should be submitted. Submission of more than one application may lead to cancellation of candidature and debarment from future examinations.

Application Correction

The correction facility is scheduled from 15/06/2026 to 18/06/2026. Corrections may be permitted in details such as name, parents' names, date of birth, category, differently abled category, paper selected, Paper II subject, languages, correspondence address, and educational institution details. The correction facility will be provided only once. No correction will be accepted after the correction period or through fax, post, email, or any offline mode.

Examination Instructions

Candidates must carry the valid e-Admit Card downloaded from the CTET website and follow the instructions printed on it. Candidates must bring their own good-quality blue or black ballpoint pen; the Board will not provide a pen. Pencil, ink pen, gel pen, eraser, correction fluid, calculators, mobile phones, watches, electronic devices, bags, wallets, ornaments, books, papers, and other prohibited items are not allowed inside the examination centre.

The OMR answer sheet must be filled carefully using a blue or black ballpoint pen. Only one option should be completely darkened for each question. Answers cannot be changed after marking. The OMR sheet must not be folded, torn, stapled, or marked outside the prescribed areas.

Candidates with benchmark disabilities may receive a scribe, reader, lab assistant, and/or 50 minutes of compensatory time, subject to submission of the required original disability certificate and supporting medical certificate before the Centre Superintendent on the examination day.

Important Notice

Qualifying CTET does not itself provide a right to recruitment or employment. It is only one of the eligibility criteria for appointment as a teacher. Final eligibility will be verified by the concerned recruiting agency or appointing authority.