CTET 2026 Notification: September Session Application, Exam Dates, & Eligibility

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducts the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) to certify candidates for teaching positions in Classes 1 to 8 across India. Interested candidates must submit their online applications by 10th June 2026 via the official portal at www.ctet.nic.in.

The Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) is a premier national-level examination held by the CBSE twice annually. It serves as a mandatory qualification for teaching roles in Central Government institutions, including KVS and NVS. Aspiring educators aiming for positions in primary and upper primary government-aided schools must qualify for this exam to be eligible for future recruitment opportunities.

CTET 2026 Notification Out

The official CTET September 2026 Information Bulletin is now available at www.ctet.nic.in. This comprehensive document outlines the application process, eligibility requirements, exam dates, syllabus, and assessment structure. You can download the full notification directly from the official CBSE website or via the link provided below. 

Download Official CTET Notification 2026 PDF - Click Here

CTET 2026 Exam Summary

The CTET exam comprises two distinct papers: Paper 1 for aspirants teaching Classes 1 to 5, and Paper 2 for those targeting Classes 6 to 8. Candidates meeting the specified eligibility criteria gain a significant advantage in pursuing a stable and rewarding career in the Indian public education sector. 

CTET Exam 2026-Summary
Exam Conducting Body	Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
Exam Name	Central Teacher Eligibility Test
Exam Level	National
Mode of Application	Online
Registration Dates	11th May to 10th June 2026 (11:59 pm)
Exam Mode	Offline (Pen and Paper)
Exam Duration	150 minutes
Language of Paper	English and Hindi
Attempt Limit	Unlimited
Certificate validity	Lifetime
No. of Test Cities	136 cities across India
Age Limit	There is no upper age limit,  Minimum age is 18 years.
Educational Qualification	Graduation
Exam Helpdesk No.	011-22235774
Official Website	www.ctet.nic.in

Important Dates

The CTET 2026 notification confirms the complete examination schedule, including registration windows and projected exam dates. Review the critical deadlines in the table provided below for effective preparation. 

CTET 2026- Important Dates
Events	Dates
CTET Notification 2026	11th May 2026
CTET Online Form 2026 Starts	11th May 2026
Last Date to fill Online Application	10th June 2026 (11:59 pm)
Last Date for submission of fee	10th June 2026 (11:59 pm)
Application Correction Window	15th to 18th June 2026
CTET Admit Card 2026	4th September 2026
CTET Exam Date 2026	6th September 2026

Please note: The examination may be scheduled for 5th September 2026, subject to candidate volume and administrative requirements.

Eligibility Criteria for CTET 2026 Exam

The eligibility criteria differ based on whether you are applying for Classes 1 to 5 or Classes 6 to 8. Review the essential educational qualifications for each level below:

Educational Qualification for Classes 1-5

Candidates must have completed their Senior Secondary (or equivalent) with at least 50% marks and passed or be appearing in the final year of a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education OR

Candidates must have completed Senior Secondary (or equivalent) with at least 45% marks and passed or be appearing in the final year of a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education, as per NCTE 2002 regulations. OR

Candidates must have completed Senior Secondary (or equivalent) with at least 50% marks and passed or be appearing in the final year of a 4-year Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed). OR

Candidates must have completed Senior Secondary (or equivalent) with at least 50% marks and passed or be appearing in the final year exam of a 2-year Diploma in Education (Special Education). OR

Candidates holding a Bachelor’s degree who have successfully cleared or are appearing in the final year of a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education.

Educational Qualification for Classes 6-8

Candidates possessing a Graduation degree and who have passed or are appearing in the final year of a Diploma in Elementary Education (2-year duration). OR

Candidates who have completed their Graduation with at least 50% marks and have cleared or are appearing in the final year of a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed). OR

Candidates who have completed their Graduation with at least 40% marks and have cleared or are appearing in the final year of a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed), according to NCTE regulations. OR

Candidates who have completed Senior Secondary (or equivalent) with at least 50% marks and cleared or are appearing in the final year of a 4-year Bachelor of Elementary Education program. OR

Candidates who have completed Senior Secondary (or equivalent) with at least 50% marks and are in the final year of a B.A.Ed/B.Sc.Ed or B.A./B.Sc. Ed integrated program. OR

Candidates with a Graduation degree with at least 50% marks and who have cleared or are appearing for a 1-year B.Ed program.

Click Here for Detailed CTET 2026 Eligibility Criteria

CTET 2026 Application Form

Prospective teachers can submit their CTET 2026 application via www.ctet.nic.in from 11th May until 10th June (11:59 PM). Ensure all required documents are scanned and ready before starting your registration. Carefully review all guidelines to prevent application errors.

Apply for CTET 2026 - Official Application Form Link

CTET Exam 2026 Application Fee

General and OBC category candidates must pay an application fee of Rs. 1000/- for a single paper (I or II) or Rs. 1200/- for both. For SC/ST candidates, the fee is reduced to Rs. 600/- for a single paper and Rs. 600/- for both papers.

Breakdown of CTET Examination Fee:

CTET 2026 Application Fee
Category	Only Paper I or II	Both Paper I & II
General/OBC	Rs. 1000/-	Rs. 1200/-
SC/ST/Diff. Abled Person	Rs. 500/-	Rs. 600/-

Note: Additional GST charges levied by the bank may apply to the transaction.

CTET 2026 Selection Process

CTET candidates are shortlisted based on their performance in the exam. Please note that passing the CTET does not guarantee employment; it is an eligibility certificate. Candidates must still apply to specific school recruitment drives, where a score of at least 60% is typically required for selection.

CTET 2026 Exam Pattern

The CTET 2026 exam is structured into two main categories:

1. Paper I
2. Paper-II

Paper I is designed for teachers of Classes 1 to 5, while Paper II is for teachers of Classes 6 to 8. Candidates may choose to register for either or both. The exam features objective-type multiple-choice questions. To qualify, candidates must score at least 60%. Notably, the CTET qualification is now valid for a lifetime.

Explore the detailed CTET Exam Pattern:

CTET Paper I Exam Pattern

CTET Paper 1 Exam Pattern
Subject	Number of Questions	Total Marks
Language I (compulsory)	30	30
Language II (compulsory)	30	30
Child Development and Pedagogy	30	30
Environmental Studies	30	30
Mathematics	30	30
Total	150	150

Nature and standard of questions

• The Child Development and Pedagogy section focuses on educational psychology relevant to children aged 6–11 years, emphasizing understanding learner needs, diverse interactions, and effective facilitation techniques.

• The Language I section assesses proficiency in the primary medium of instruction.

• The Language II section evaluates language comprehension, communication skills, and linguistic elements.

• Language II must be distinct from Language I. Candidates must carefully select their language options during the application process as indicated on the confirmation page.

Select two languages for your exam. Please refer to the official notification for the complete list of language codes.

CTET 2026 Languages
Code No	Language	Code No	Language	Code No	Language	Code No	Language
01	English	06	Gujarati	11	Marathi	16	Sanskrit
02	Hindi	07	Kannada	12	Mizo	17	Tamil
03	Assamese	08	Khasi	13	Nepali	18	Telugu
04	Bengali	09	Malayalam	14	Oriya	19	Tibetan
05	Garo	10	Manipuri	15	Punjabi	20	Urdu

• Mathematics and Environmental Studies test sections focus on conceptual clarity, problem-solving, and pedagogical application, derived from the NCERT syllabus for Classes I-V.

• Paper I questions are aligned with the NCERT Class I-V curriculum, though the difficulty and conceptual linkages may extend up to the secondary level.

Review the Complete CTET Paper I & II Exam Pattern

CTET 2026 Syllabus 

The revised CTET Syllabus 2026 is now live. Mastering this syllabus is the critical first step in your preparation. The exam covers Child Development and Pedagogy, Mathematics, Science/Environmental Science, and two selected Languages.

CTET Paper-I Syllabus: Includes Child Development and Pedagogy, Language I & II, Mathematics, and Environmental Science.

Subjects	Topics
Child Development and Pedagogy	Child Development, Learning and Pedagogy
Language-I	Comprehension, Pedagogy of Language Development
Language-II	Comprehension, Pedagogy of Language Development
Mathematics	Geometry, Shapes & Spatial Understanding, Solids around Us, Numbers, Addition and Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
Environmental Studies	Family and Friends, Food, Shelter, Water, Travel

CTET Paper-II Syllabus: Includes Child Development and Pedagogy, Language I & II, and either Mathematics & Science OR Social Studies, depending on the candidate's specialization.

Subjects	Topics
Child Development and Pedagogy	Child Development, Learning and Pedagogy
Language-I	Comprehension, Pedagogy of Language Development
Language-II	Comprehension, Pedagogy of Language Development
Mathematics	Number System, Algebra, Geometry, Mensuration
Science	Food, Materials, Natural Phenomena, Natural Resource
Social Studies/Social Sciences	History, Geography, Social and Political Life, Pedagogical Issues

Access the Full CTET 2026 Syllabus (Paper I + Paper II)

CBSE CTET Certificate Validity

The CTET certificate now boasts lifetime validity. This update, effective retroactively from 2011, allows candidates with expired certificates to obtain a renewed version. States and UTs are tasked with revalidating certificates for candidates whose original 7-year validity period has lapsed.

Verify Your CTET 2026 Certificate Details

Download CTET Previous Year Question Papers

CTET Teacher Salary Details

Qualified CTET candidates are eligible for teaching roles in central government schools (NVS/KVS). Basic salaries for these roles typically range from Rs. 9,300 to Rs. 34,800, with net in-hand monthly salaries for qualified teachers often ranging between Rs. 35,000 and Rs. 50,000.

CTET Teacher Salary 2026
Components	Primary Teacher	TGT	PGT
Pay Scale	9300- 34800	9300- 34800	9300- 34800
Grade Pay	4200	4600	4800
Basic Pay after 7th CPC	35400	44900	47600
HRA	3240	3400	4350
TA	1600	1600	1600
Gross Salary	40240	49900	53550
Net Salary	35000-37000	43000-46000	48000-50000

CTET 2026 Key Points

CBSE has indicated that "question papers will shift toward assessing conceptual understanding, critical thinking, problem-solving, and application over rote factual memorization," emphasizing depth of knowledge.

1. To assess the teacher's understanding of teaching their respective subject.
2. To assess the futuristic teacher's pedagogic content knowledge.
3. To understand their knowledge of the relevance of the subject in the school curriculum.
4. Some questions will be added to assess the planning of teaching-learning experiences.
5. The question paper will be focused on the assessment methodologies specific to the concept.
6. A sample blueprint or sample question papers will be released by CBSE to make it easy for the candidates to understand the revised format

CTET 2026 Exam Centre 

The CTET is conducted in numerous cities nationwide. Candidates must select 4 preferred exam centers during registration. While the first preference is prioritized, CBSE reserves the right to assign an alternative center based on logistical availability.

CTET 2026 Exam Centre
S. No	States & UT	Cities
1	Andaman & Nicobar Island	Port Blair
2	Andhra Pradesh	Anantapur, Bhimavaran, Chirala, Eluru, Guntur,Kadapa, Kakinada, Kurnool, Nandyala, Narsaraopeta,  Nellore, Proddatur, Rajamundry, Srikulam, Tirupati, Vijaywada, Visakhapatnam, Viziannagaram
3	Assam	Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Jorhat, Silchar, Tezpur
4	Bihar	Bhagalpur, Bhojpur, Gaya, Muzzafarpur, Patna, Purnea,
5	Chhattisgarh	Bhilai Nagar, Bilaspur, Raipur
6	Chandigarh	Chandigarh
7	Dadar & Nagar Haveli	Dadar & Nagar Haveli
8	Daman & Diu	Daman
9	Delhi	New Delhi
10	Goa	Panaji
11	Gujarat	Ahmedabad, Anand, Bardoli, Gandhinagar, Jamnagar, Mehsana, Rajkot, Surat, Vadodara, Valsad, Vapi
12	Haryana	Ambala, Faridabad, Gurugram, Karnal, Hisar, Kurukshetra
13	Himachal Pradesh	Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, Una
14	Jammu	Jammu, Samba, Srinagar
15	Jharkhand	Bokaro, Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Jamshedpur, Ranchi
16	Karnataka	Belagavi, Bengaluru, Hubballi, Kalaburagi, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Udupi
17	Kerala	Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kannur, Kasaragod, Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Malappuram,  Palakkad, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur
18	Lakshadweep	Kavaratti
19	Madhya Pradesh	Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Sagar, Satna, Ujjain
20	Maharashtra	Ahmednagar, Amravati, Aurangabad, Baramati, Chandrapur, Dhule, Jalgaon, Kashti, Kolhapur,  Kopragaon, Latur, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nanded, Nashik, Pandharpur, Pune, Ratnagiri, Sangmner,  Sangoli, Satara, Sindurpur, Solapur
21	Manipur	Imphal
22	Meghalaya	Shillong
23	Mizoram	Aizwal
24	Nagaland	Dimapur, Kohima
25	Odisha	Balasore, Berhampur- Ganjam, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Rourkela, Sambalpur
26	Puducherry	Puducherry
27	Punjab	Amritsar, Bhatinda, Fatehgarh Sahib, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Pathankot, Patiala, Sangrur
28	Rajasthan	Ajmer, Alwar, Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Sikar, Udaipur
29	Sikkim	Gangtok
30	Tamil Nadu	Chennai, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Dindigul, Erode, Kanchipuram, Karur, Mahurai, Kanyakumari,  Nammakal, Salem, Thanjavar, Thoothukhudi, Tiruchirappali, Tirupur, Vellore, Villupuram, Virudhunagar
31	Tripura	Agartala
32	Uttar Pradesh	Agra, Aligarh, Bareilly, Basti, Bijnor, Bilaspur, Faizabad, Firozabad, Ghaziabad, Ghazipur, Gorakhpur,  Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Meerut, Mathura, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Noida, Pryagraj, Sitapur,  Varanasi
33	Uttarakhand	Almora, Dehradun, Haldwani, Pauri Garhwal, Roorkee, Rudrapur
34	West Bengal	Asansol, Burdwan, Durgapur, Howrah, Kalyani, Kolkatta, Siliguri, Siuri

View the Complete CTET 2026 Exam Centre List