The mandatory national certification for teaching careers in Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas & Central Schools.
Mandatory educational background, age limits, pay scale, and service designations
Conducted twice a year by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) is the mandatory eligibility benchmark under the Right to Education (RTE) Act for appointment as a primary or upper-primary teacher in central government schools (KVS, NVS, Central Tibetan Schools, Army Public Schools) and schools under the Union Territories. Paper-I certifies teachers for Classes I-V, while Paper-II certifies teachers for Classes VI-VIII.
For Paper-I (PRT): Senior Secondary (10+2) with at least 50% marks + 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed/B.El.Ed). For Paper-II (TGT): Graduation with 50% marks + B.Ed or 4-year B.El.Ed / B.A.Ed / B.Sc.Ed.
18 to 0 Years
No upper age limit exists for appearing in CTET.
General / UR: Unlimited attempts (Lifelong validity)
OBC: Unlimited attempts
SC / ST: Unlimited attempts
PRT in Central Schools: Pay Level 6 (₹35,400 basic + DA, HRA, Medical ~ ₹55,000 in-hand); TGT: Pay Level 7 (₹44,900 basic ~ ₹68,000 in-hand)
Annual Vacancies: Qualifying examination (Over 25-30 Lakh applicants annually)
Stage-wise breakdown, paper timing, question distribution, and negative marking rules
Negative Marking Rule: NO negative marking. +1 mark for every correct response.
Mode: Offline Pen & Paper (OMR Based) | Medium: Bilingual (Hindi / English) + choice of 20 regional languages for Language I & II.
Offline pen-and-paper OMR test of 2 hours 30 minutes duration. Paper-I for Classes 1 to 5; Paper-II for Classes 6 to 8. Candidates can appear for either or both papers on the same day in morning/afternoon shifts.
| Paper / Component | Format | Questions | Marks | Duration | Negative Marking & Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Child Development and Pedagogy (CDP) Child Development (Primary School Child), Concept of Inclusive Education & Children with Special Needs, Learning and Pedagogy (Piaget, Vygotsky, Kohlberg theories) | Objective (MCQ) | 30 | 30 | Part of composite 150 mins | Counts towards 150 total marks |
Language I (Compulsory) Language Comprehension (15 Qs), Pedagogy of Language Development (15 Qs) | Objective (MCQ) | 30 | 30 | Part of composite 150 mins | Counts towards 150 total marks |
Language II (Compulsory - Different from Lang I) Comprehension passages (15 Qs), Pedagogy of Language Development (15 Qs) | Objective (MCQ) | 30 | 30 | Part of composite 150 mins | Counts towards 150 total marks |
Mathematics (Paper-I) / Maths & Science or Social Studies (Paper-II) Content (Numbers, Shapes, Geometry, Algebra) + Pedagogical issues | Objective (MCQ) | 30 | 30 | Part of composite 150 mins | Counts towards 150 total marks |
Environmental Studies (EVS - For Paper-I Only) Family and Friends, Food, Shelter, Water, Travel, Things We Make and Do (15 Qs content + 15 Qs pedagogy) | Objective (MCQ) | 30 | 30 | Part of composite 150 mins | Counts towards 150 total marks |
Detailed curriculum modules categorized by standard foundations vs. high-yield scoring chapters
Phase-by-phase roadmap, daily study schedule, topper golden rules, and fatal pitfalls to avoid
CTET is a pure qualifying examination where scoring 90 out of 150 (60%) for General and 82 out of 150 (55%) for OBC/SC/ST guarantees lifelong certification. Because there is NO negative marking, attempt 100% of questions. Scoring 27+ in Child Development & Pedagogy (CDP) and mastering NCERT Class 3-8 textbooks ensures effortless qualification on your very first attempt.
Piaget, Vygotsky, Kohlberg theories; NCERT 3rd to 5th EVS, 6th to 8th Science/SST
Solve past 10 CTET papers from 2018 to 2024
OMR sheet bubbling practice, 150 questions in 150 minutes
Topper-validated standard reference books and chapter-wise question banks
Author: Himanshi Singh (Let's LEARN) | Pub: Pearson / EduTap
Written in extremely lucid, student-friendly bilingual style covering Piaget, Vygotsky, Kohlberg, and CCE with actual exam examples.
Author: Arihant Experts | Pub: Arihant Publications
Comprehensive chapter-wise theory and solved previous year papers for all sections.
Official past category-wise cutoffs to benchmark your target mock scores
| Cycle / Tier / Service | General (UR) | OBC | EWS | SC | ST | Scope & Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTET Qualifying Cutoff (General) | 90 Marks (60%) | — | — | — | — | Out of 150 total marks (Standard qualifying criterion) |
| CTET Qualifying Cutoff (OBC / SC / ST) | 90 Marks (60%) | 82 Marks (55%) | 90 Marks (60%) | 82 Marks (55%) | 82 Marks (55%) | Out of 150 marks |
From initial application to final cadre allocation and joining the training academy
Apply online for Paper-I, Paper-II, or both papers with city preference.
Appear for 150-mark OMR exam conducted across designated test schools.
CBSE publishes provisional answer key followed by official results.
CBSE uploads digitally signed CTET eligibility certificate directly to candidates' DigiLocker accounts.
Qualified candidates can apply directly for government teacher openings.
Authoritative SEO & GEO clarifications: Domicile rules, regional languages, exam centers, pay scale & cutoffs
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