Pariksha SaathiCTET December 2026: exam pattern, marks, negative marking, age limit
Every figure on this page is copied from an official document linked next to it, with the date we last checked it. Pattern, age limit and dates are from the CTET 22nd edition (Dec 2026) notification. Last verified: 15 October 2026.
At a glance
- Selection stages
- Written test (Paper I and Paper II)
- First stage: Questions / Marks / Time
- 150 / 150 / 150 min
- Negative marking
- No negative marking
- First stage dates
- 12 December 2026 to 13 December 2026
Weekly live mock: Sunday, 8 November 2026, 10:00–12:00 IST · 50 questions in 60 minutes, one paper for everyone · Sit it in the Android app →
Exam pattern
Written test (Paper I and Paper II)
Applies to: Paper I for teachers of classes I to V, Paper II for teachers of classes VI to VIII. A candidate who wants to teach both levels appears in both papers.
Paper I (classes I to V, primary stage)
Applies to: Teachers of classes I to V
| Section | Questions | Marks each | Marks | Time (min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Development and Pedagogy | 30 | 1 | 30 | — |
| Mathematics | 30 | 1 | 30 | — |
| Environmental Studies | 30 | 1 | 30 | — |
| Language I | 30 | 1 | 30 | — |
| Language II | 30 | 1 | 30 | — |
| Total | 150 | 150 | 150 |
Time allowed: 150 minutes. Persons with benchmark disability who qualify for the facility get a scribe, reader or lab assistant and/or 50 minutes of compensatory time. Negative marking: No negative marking.
- All questions are multiple choice with four options and one most appropriate answer, one mark each. All five sections are compulsory.
- The main question paper is bilingual (Hindi and English). Language I (medium of instruction) and Language II (a different language) are chosen from the 27 languages listed in the bulletin.
- Questions follow the NCERT syllabus for classes I to V, though their difficulty and linkages can go up to the Secondary stage.
Paper II (classes VI to VIII): Mathematics and Science option
Applies to: Teachers of classes VI to VIII; the option meant for Mathematics and Science teachers
| Section | Questions | Marks each | Marks | Time (min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Development and Pedagogy | 30 | 1 | 30 | — |
| Mathematics | 30 | 1 | 30 | — |
| Science | 30 | 1 | 30 | — |
| Language I | 30 | 1 | 30 | — |
| Language II | 30 | 1 | 30 | — |
| Total | 150 | 150 | 150 |
Time allowed: 150 minutes. Persons with benchmark disability who qualify for the facility get a scribe, reader or lab assistant and/or 50 minutes of compensatory time. Negative marking: No negative marking.
- In Paper II a candidate takes either this Mathematics and Science option or the Social Studies/Social Science option, not both. For any other teacher, either option may be taken.
- Questions follow the NCERT syllabus for classes VI to VIII, though their difficulty and linkages can go up to the Senior Secondary stage. The main question paper is bilingual (Hindi and English).
Paper II (classes VI to VIII): Social Studies/Social Science option
Applies to: Teachers of classes VI to VIII; the option meant for Social Studies/Social Science teachers
| Section | Questions | Marks each | Marks | Time (min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Development and Pedagogy | 30 | 1 | 30 | — |
| Social Studies/Social Science | 60 | 1 | 60 | — |
| Language I | 30 | 1 | 30 | — |
| Language II | 30 | 1 | 30 | — |
| Total | 150 | 150 | 150 |
Time allowed: 150 minutes. Persons with benchmark disability who qualify for the facility get a scribe, reader or lab assistant and/or 50 minutes of compensatory time. Negative marking: No negative marking.
- Taken instead of the Mathematics and Science option in Paper II. Language I and Language II work as in Paper I.
Source: Information Bulletin CTET-September, 2026 (22nd edition), with the Public Notice of 14 September 2026 that revises the exam to 12 and 13 December 2026 ↗ · Last verified: 15 October 2026 · Report an error
Free CTET mock tests in this official pattern →
Syllabus: subjects tested
The subjects in short, as the official syllabus lists them. The exam body's own notification is final.
- Child Development and Pedagogy
- Child development (concept of development and learning, principles of development, heredity and environment, socialisation, Piaget, Kohlberg and Vygotsky, child-centred and progressive education, intelligence and multi-dimensional intelligence, language and thought, gender, individual differences, assessment for and of learning, CCE), inclusive education and children with special needs, and learning and pedagogy (how children think and learn, errors as steps in learning, cognition and emotions, motivation, factors that affect learning). Aimed at the 6-11 age group for Paper I and the 11-14 age group for Paper II.
- Mathematics (Paper I)
- Content: geometry, shapes and spatial understanding, solids around us, numbers, addition and subtraction, multiplication, division, measurement, weight, time, volume, data handling, patterns and money. Pedagogical issues: nature of mathematics and logical thinking, place of mathematics in the curriculum, language of mathematics, community mathematics, evaluation, problems of teaching, error analysis, and diagnostic and remedial teaching.
- Environmental Studies (Paper I)
- Content: family and friends (relationships, work and play, animals, plants), food, shelter, water, travel, and things we make and do. Pedagogical issues: concept and scope of EVS, integrated EVS, learning principles, relation to Science and Social Science, approaches, activities, experimentation and practical work, discussion, CCE, teaching aids and problems of teaching.
- Mathematics and Science (Paper II)
- Mathematics: number system, algebra, geometry, mensuration and data handling, with pedagogical issues. Science: food, materials, the world of the living, moving things, people and ideas, how things work (electric current and circuits, magnets), natural phenomena and natural resources, with pedagogical issues such as the nature of science, approaches, experiments, aids and evaluation.
- Social Studies/Social Science (Paper II)
- Content from History (from the earliest societies to India after independence), Geography (the earth in the solar system, the globe, air, water, human environment, resources, agriculture) and Social and Political Life (diversity, government, democracy, the Constitution, the judiciary, social justice and the marginalised), plus pedagogical issues such as classroom processes, critical thinking, enquiry, sources, project work and evaluation.
- Language I and Language II
- Language comprehension (unseen passages with questions on comprehension, inference, grammar and verbal ability) and pedagogy of language development (learning and acquisition, principles of language teaching, listening and speaking, grammar, diverse classrooms, language skills, evaluation, teaching-learning materials and remedial teaching). Language I relates to the medium of instruction and Language II must be a different language; both are chosen from the languages listed in the bulletin.
Full syllabus, stage by stage → · Official website ↗
Age limit and qualification
The information bulletin does not state an age limit for CTET, and there is no limit on the number of attempts.
| Posts | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Paper I: teacher of classes I to V | The minimum teaching qualifications notified by NCTE, or those in the recruitment rules of the appropriate government, KVS or NVS. The bulletin sends candidates to NCTE for the details and does not list them. The application form accepts candidates who are appearing in the final exam of their qualifying course. |
| Paper II: teacher of classes VI to VIII | The minimum teaching qualifications notified by NCTE, or those in the recruitment rules of the appropriate government, KVS or NVS. The bulletin sends candidates to NCTE for the details and does not list them. For Paper II the candidate must also choose Mathematics and Science or Social Science in the application. |
| Reserved categories (SC/ST/OBC/differently abled) | As notified by NCTE, up to 5% relaxation is allowed in the qualifying marks of the minimum educational qualification. |
A person who scores 60% or more is considered to have passed the TET (NCTE notification of 11 February 2011, quoted in the bulletin). The bulletin gives no separate lower percentage for reserved categories; school managements may consider concessions for SC/ST, OBC and differently abled persons under their own reservation policy. The CTET certificate is valid for life.
Source: Information Bulletin CTET-September, 2026 (22nd edition), with the Public Notice of 14 September 2026 that revises the exam to 12 and 13 December 2026 ↗ · Last verified: 15 October 2026 · Report an error
Important dates
| Event | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Online applications (first window) | 11 May 2026 to 10 June 2026 | official notice ↗ |
| Online applications reopened for candidates who missed the first window | 25 August 2026 to 1 September 2026 | official notice ↗ |
| Online correction window | 7 September 2026 to 10 September 2026 | official notice ↗ |
| 22nd edition of CTET: Paper I and Paper II (revised date; the bulletin had 6 September 2026) | 12 December 2026 to 13 December 2026 | official notice ↗ |
Source: Information Bulletin CTET-September, 2026 (22nd edition), with the Public Notice of 14 September 2026 that revises the exam to 12 and 13 December 2026 ↗ · Last verified: 15 October 2026 · Report an error
Practice questions by section
Free questions, each with its answer, in the subjects this exam tests. Every topic opens a list of question pages.
Pedagogy
- Social Studies and its Pedagogy (Paper II) 756 questions
- Language Pedagogy (Language I and II) 688 questions
- Science and its Pedagogy (Paper II) 353 questions
- Environmental Studies Pedagogy (Paper I) 312 questions
- Mathematics Pedagogy 308 questions
- Child Development and Pedagogy 298 questions
- Mathematics, Classes VI-VIII (Paper II) 234 questions
- Mathematics, Classes I-V (Paper I) 222 questions
Quantitative Aptitude
- Geometry: Lines and Triangles 24 questions
- Number System 21 questions
- Percentage 21 questions
- Trigonometry 20 questions
- Boat and Stream 19 questions
- Mensuration: 2D 16 questions
- Permutation and Combination 15 questions
- Probability — Tier II 15 questions
General Studies
- General Science 480 questions
- Static General Knowledge 240 questions
- Indian Geography 239 questions
- Physical and World Geography 239 questions
- Indian Polity and Constitution 238 questions
- Environment and Ecology 237 questions
- Modern Indian History and Freedom Struggle 235 questions
- Indian Art and Culture 234 questions
All practice questions by topic →
Free notes (PDF)
Notes for every topic in this exam’s syllabus, one PDF per subject: each lesson ends with a quick-revision box, and each PDF ends with a revision sheet. Written by an AI assistant and not reviewed by a subject-matter expert.
- Teaching and Pedagogy (CTET) (138 pages, 1.6 MB)
Latest notices
- CTET 22nd Edition to Be Held on 12 and 13 December 2026; Exam City Slip 15 Days Before, Admit Card 2 Days Beforenotification · 16 October 2026
CTET admit card, result and answer key: every notice →
Recent current affairs for this exam
- Indian Navy frees hijacked fishing vessel 'Azini' from armed pirates off Somalia; all 20 crew members safe3 November 2026
- 5th edition of India-US tri-service HADR exercise Tiger Triumph opens at Visakhapatnam; an NDRF team to take part for the first time3 November 2026
- Aditya-L1's VELC shows a solar eruption expanded asymmetrically, not like a simple symmetric bubble: IIA study3 November 2026
- Health Ministry proposes amending Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945 to add ICDs, an SEZ and Noida International Airport as authorised import gateways3 November 2026
- TRAI releases Telecommunication Interconnection (Third Amendment) Regulations, 2026: shift to LSA-level and IP-based interconnection, effective 1 January 20273 November 2026
Prepare
- Exam calendar: official dates across every exam
- Syllabus and subjects tested
- Job profile and salary
- Free lessons
- Start practising
Frequently asked questions
What are the selection stages of CTET?
Written test (Paper I and Paper II), as per the CTET 22nd edition (Dec 2026) notification.
How many questions are in the CTET first stage?
Paper I (classes I to V, primary stage): 150 questions for 150 marks in 150 minutes, as per the CTET 22nd edition (Dec 2026) notification.
Is there negative marking in CTET?
Paper I (classes I to V, primary stage), as per the CTET 22nd edition (Dec 2026) notification: No negative marking.
What is the age limit for CTET?
The information bulletin does not state an age limit for CTET, and there is no limit on the number of attempts.
Can final-year students apply for CTET?
As per the CTET 22nd edition (Dec 2026) notification: Paper I: teacher of classes I to V: The minimum teaching qualifications notified by NCTE, or those in the recruitment rules of the appropriate government, KVS or NVS. The bulletin sends candidates to NCTE for the details and does not list them. The application form accepts candidates who are appearing in the final exam of their qualifying course.
What are the minimum qualifying marks in CTET?
A person who scores 60% or more is considered to have passed the TET (NCTE notification of 11 February 2011, quoted in the bulletin). The bulletin gives no separate lower percentage for reserved categories; school managements may consider concessions for SC/ST, OBC and differently abled persons under their own reservation policy. The CTET certificate is valid for life.
When is the last date to apply for CTET?
Online applications (first window): 11 May 2026 to 10 June 2026 (now closed). Online applications reopened for candidates who missed the first window: 25 August 2026 to 1 September 2026 (now closed). As per the CTET 22nd edition (Dec 2026) notification.
What are the CTET first-stage exam dates?
Written test (Paper I and Paper II): 12 December 2026 to 13 December 2026, as per the CTET 22nd edition (Dec 2026) notification.
Which subjects does the CTET exam test?
The official syllabus lists: Child Development and Pedagogy; Mathematics (Paper I); Environmental Studies (Paper I); Mathematics and Science (Paper II); Social Studies/Social Science (Paper II); Language I and Language II.
Source: Information Bulletin CTET-September, 2026 (22nd edition), with the Public Notice of 14 September 2026 that revises the exam to 12 and 13 December 2026 ↗ · Last verified: 15 October 2026 · Report an error
How this page is made
These facts are transcribed from the official documents linked above and checked against them on the date shown. If anything here differs from the official notification, the official notification is right. Please tell us through the Contact page. See also our editorial standards. Contact · Editorial standards