CTET September 2026 Notification: Apply Online by 10 June

Quick Glance

Edition 22nd · Last date 10 June 2026 · Exam 6 September 2026 · Mode Offline · Languages 27 · Cities 132

Overview

• Organisation - Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Delhi

• Exam Name - Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) September 2026

• Edition - 22nd

• Conducting Unit - Central Teacher Eligibility Test Unit, CBSE

• Notification Number - CBSE/CTET/Sept./2026/e-73233 dated 08.05.2026

• Paper-I - For aspiring teachers of Classes I to V (Primary Stage)

• Paper-II - For aspiring teachers of Classes VI to VIII (Elementary Stage)

• Application Mode - Online only (through ctet.nic.in or cbse.gov.in)

• Exam Mode - Offline, OMR-based

• Number of Languages - 27

• Number of Cities - 132

• Category - Teacher Eligibility Test

• Official Website - https://ctet.nic.in

Important Dates

Application Fee

GST as applicable is charged extra by the bank. Fee once paid is non-refundable and cannot be adjusted for any future CTET.

Payment modes: Debit Card · Credit Card · Net Banking

Offline modes such as demand draft, IPO and money order are rejected. If a debit/credit card transaction status is not OK, the amount is refunded to the same card within a week and the candidate must pay again. A failed net-banking transaction is not auto-completed - the candidate has to repay.

Eligibility

The minimum qualifications for appearing in CTET are set by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). Candidates must verify the current matrix on the NCTE website https://ncte.gov.in before applying.

Broadly:

• Paper-I (Classes I to V) - Senior Secondary (10+2) with the relevant percentage plus a D.El.Ed. / B.Ed. or equivalent qualification, as notified by NCTE.

• Paper-II (Classes VI to VIII) - Graduation in the relevant subject with D.El.Ed. / B.Ed., as per NCTE norms.

A relaxation of up to 5% in the qualifying marks of the minimum educational qualification is allowed for SC, ST, OBC and Differently Abled candidates.

CTET is national in scope - candidates from Bihar and every other state apply on the same form and the centre will be allotted at one of the listed Bihar cities (or another city) by CBSE.

The candidate is personally responsible for ensuring eligibility before applying; allowing a candidate to appear does not imply that eligibility has been verified, and the final verification rests with the recruiting/appointing authority.

Exam Pattern and Structure

CTET is conducted in two papers of 150 marks each. All questions are Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) with four options and one correct answer. Each question carries one mark and there is no negative marking. The duration of each paper is 2 hours 30 minutes.

Paper-I (Classes I to V) - Primary Stage

Paper-II (Classes VI to VIII) - Elementary Stage

A candidate intending to teach across both levels must appear in both papers. The syllabus broadly follows NCERT for Classes I to V (Paper-I) and Classes VI to VIII (Paper-II); the difficulty linkages may extend up to the Senior Secondary stage.

Languages of Examination

CTET September 2026 will be conducted in 27 languages. The candidate selects two of them as Language I and Language II at the time of application; Language II must be different from Language I. The main question paper is bilingual (Hindi / English).

Questions must be answered in the language opted by the candidate as mentioned on the admit card; answers attempted in any other language will lead to cancellation of candidature.

Qualifying Marks and CTET Certificate

As per NCTE Notification No. 76-4/2010/NCTE/Acad dated 11 February 2011, a candidate scoring 60% or more is treated as CTET pass. School managements (Government, government-aided, local-body and unaided schools) may extend further concessions to SC/ST/OBC/Differently Abled candidates in line with their extant reservation policy.

The CTET qualifying certificate now carries lifetime validity for all categories. There is no cap on the number of attempts - a person who has already qualified may reappear to improve the score. Mark sheets and eligibility certificates are issued in digital format via DigiLocker, digitally signed and embedded with an encrypted QR code that can be verified using the DigiLocker mobile app. DigiLocker accounts are created for all candidates and the credentials are conveyed to their registered mobile number.

Qualifying CTET does not, by itself, confer any right to recruitment or employment - it is one of several eligibility conditions for appointment. Recruitment is at the discretion of the appointing authority.

CTET Applicability

CTET applies to schools of:

• Central Government - Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), Central Tibetan Schools and similar bodies.

• UT administrations of Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and NCT of Delhi.

• Unaided private schools, which may choose to consider CTET.

• State Government, local-body and aided schools, which usually consider the State TET; a State Government may also consider CTET if it does not conduct its own TET.

For CBSE-affiliated schools, since 6 March 2012, qualifying CTET (or the appropriate State TET conducted under NCTE guidelines) is mandatory for teachers appointed to teach Classes I to VIII.

How to Apply

1. Visit the official CTET website https://ctet.nic.in or the CBSE website https://www.cbse.gov.in.

2. Click on the "Apply Online" link and open the registration form.

3. Fill the Authentication Form with State, Identification type and number, candidate's name (as per Class X certificate), date of birth, gender and security pin.

4. Complete the online application - enter mother's and father's name in CAPITAL letters exactly as in the Class X certificate; select Paper-I, Paper-II or both; pick Language I and Language II (and the subject for Paper-II); enter mailing address with PIN code, mobile number and a valid email - then note the system-generated Registration / Application Number.

5. Upload the scanned photograph (JPG/JPEG, 3.5 cm width x 4.5 cm height, 10 to 100 KB) and signature (JPG/JPEG, 3.5 cm length x 1.5 cm height, 3 to 30 KB).

6. Set a password (8 to 13 characters, with one upper case, one lower case, one numeric and one special character from !@#$%^&*-) - this password cannot match any of your previous three passwords on subsequent logins.

7. Pay the examination fee online by debit card, credit card or net banking.

8. Print the Confirmation Page after successful payment and keep it for future reference. The confirmation page does not need to be sent to the CTET Unit.

Exam Day Time Schedule

Candidates reporting after the commencement of the examination (9:30 AM for Paper-II, 2:30 PM for Paper-I) will not be permitted to enter. The Test Booklet is distributed 15 minutes before the test and the seal is broken 5 minutes before commencement under the invigilator's announcement.

Important Instructions

• The option to select an exam city is not available; CBSE will allot the city on a random basis and the allotted city cannot be changed for any reason.

• If the candidate count requires it, the exam may also be conducted on 5 September 2026 (Saturday) in some cities - the exact date will also be allotted randomly and cannot be changed.

• Online correction is allowed only once, between 15 and 18 June 2026, and is not available for the city of examination. After 18 June 2026 no change in any particular will be entertained.

• A candidate must submit only one application; multiple submissions lead to cancellation of candidature and possible debarment from future tests.

• Carry only the printed admit card and a valid photo ID - biometric authentication may be introduced at the centre.

• Use only a Ball Point Pen (Black/Blue) for marking the OMR; PEN will not be supplied at the centre. Use of pencil, eraser or white correction fluid will lead to rejection of the answer sheet.

• Prohibited inside the hall: stationery (paper, geometry/pencil box, calculator, scale, log table, writing pad, eraser, whitener, cardboard, electronic pen/scanner), communication devices (mobile, Bluetooth, earphones, microphone, pager, health band), watch / wristwatch, wallet, goggles, handbags, gold or artificial ornaments, and any camera or recording device. Smoking, chewing gutka, tea, coffee, soft drinks and snacks are also not allowed.

• The candidate must sign the Attendance Sheet twice - first at the commencement and again while handing over the OMR sheet; failure to sign the second time is treated as not having handed over the OMR and is dealt with as an unfair means case.

• Furnishing of false, wrong or inaccurate information may lead to cancellation of result, forfeiture of the certificate and even prosecution in appropriate cases.

• The CTET Unit sends all alerts to the mobile number and email ID entered during registration; keep both active until the result is declared.

• There is no provision for re-evaluation or re-checking of result. Records, including the OMR sheet, are preserved only for two months after the declaration of result.

Facilities for PwBD / PwD Candidates

Persons with benchmark disability (PwBD) - blindness, low vision, both-arm-affected locomotor disability or cerebral palsy as defined under Section 2(r) of the RPwD Act 2016 - are entitled to a Scribe / Reader / Lab Assistant and / or 50 minutes of compensatory time. The same facility extends to other benchmark disabilities under Section 2(s) of the RPwD Act 2016 when the candidate has limitation in writing (including speed), supported by a certificate from a Government healthcare institution. The qualification of the scribe will be one class lower than the minimum qualification criteria of the post for which the test is being conducted; the scribe will always be a matriculate or above and is provided by the examination centre.

Visually Impaired candidates receive a question paper in large font; a normal question paper is also kept available at the centre for use on demand.

Answer Key, OMR and Result

The OMR answer sheet and the answer keys are displayed on the CTET official website after the exam; a public notice is issued ahead of the display window. Candidates may challenge an answer key by paying a non-refundable fee of Rs. 1,000 per question during the stipulated window - challenges without payment or through email / letter / representation will not be considered. If a challenge is accepted by the subject experts, the amount is refunded to the concerned candidate after declaration of result.

After the result is declared, a candidate may obtain a photocopy of the OMR answer sheet along with the calculation sheet by paying Rs. 500 per OMR by demand draft favouring "Secretary, Central Board of Secondary Education", drawn on any nationalised bank and payable at Delhi. No grievance on answer keys is entertained after declaration of result. The legal jurisdiction for all disputes is Delhi only.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Filling personal details from any document other than the Class X certificate. Name, father's name, mother's name and date of birth must match the Class X mark sheet exactly. Any mismatch flagged after the correction window closes on 18 June 2026 cannot be fixed.

• Submitting multiple applications "to be safe". Duplicate forms lead to cancellation and possible debarment from future CTETs; submit one form and verify before final submission.

• Choosing Language II the same as Language I. The system requires Language I and Language II to be different. Pick the second language by genuine comfort, since you must attempt the paper in the chosen language.

• Ignoring the photo and signature specifications. Casual selfies are rejected. Photo must be 3.5 x 4.5 cm at 10 to 100 KB and signature 3.5 x 1.5 cm at 3 to 30 KB, both in JPG/JPEG.

• Paying fee on the last day. The portal slows on 10 June 2026 and a failed net-banking transaction is not auto-completed - the candidate has to pay again. Complete payment 2 to 3 days early to keep options open.

• Carrying a wrist watch or wallet into the hall. Both are explicitly prohibited; leave them outside the centre with a known person before entering.

Previous Year Question Papers

CTET previous-year question papers are useful for understanding the exam pattern, difficulty curve and topic weightage. The official portal hosts the following papers:

• Question Paper Feb 2026

• Question Paper Dec 2024

• Question Paper July 2024

• Question Paper January 2024

• Question Paper August 2023

• Question Paper December 2022

• Question Paper December 2021

• Question Paper January 2021

• Question Paper December 2019

• Question Paper July 2019

• Question Paper December 2018

Important Links

For any query, candidates may write to the Joint Secretary, Central Teacher Eligibility Test Unit, CBSE, Integrated Office Complex, Sector-23, Phase-1, Dwarka, New Delhi-110077 · Phone: 011-24050477 · Email: ctet.cbse@nic.in (mention Registration / Application Number in the email).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the last date to apply for CTET September 2026?

The online application window closes on 10 June 2026 at 23:59 hrs. Fee payment through debit card, credit card or net banking must also be completed by the same deadline. After this date, no application or fee submission is accepted.

Can I correct details in my CTET application after submission?

Yes, but only once between 15 June 2026 and 18 June 2026. You can correct particulars such as name, parents' names, date of birth, category, differently-abled category, paper opted, subject for Paper-II, language and college/institution name. The examination city cannot be changed at any stage, and no correction is allowed after 18 June 2026.

How many marks are needed to qualify CTET?

A candidate scoring 60% or more is treated as CTET pass per NCTE Notification No. 76-4/2010/NCTE/Acad dated 11 February 2011. School managements may give further concessions to SC/ST/OBC/Differently-abled candidates as per their reservation policy.

Is CTET certificate valid for life?

Yes. The CTET qualifying certificate is valid for the lifetime of the candidate for all categories. There is no cap on the number of attempts, and a qualified candidate may reappear to improve the score.

Can I select my CTET exam city while applying?

No. The exam city is allotted by CBSE on a random basis and the request for change of allotted city, for whatsoever reason, will not be accepted. The same rule applies if the exam is held on the reserve date of 5 September 2026.

Source

Source: https://ctet.nic.in, Information Bulletin PDF, Public Notice PDF

Final Words

CTET September 2026 is a high-volume, single-shot opportunity - the next edition is roughly six months away. Read the Information Bulletin carefully, check eligibility against the latest NCTE matrix, complete the form well before 10 June 2026, and start working through the previous-year question papers listed above to map the difficulty before the September 6 paper. For the latest updates, keep visiting SarkariWorld.org.