Know this. Passing CTET only makes you eligible; KVS, NVS and state recruitments then run their own exams and use CTET as a filter.
- Run by
- Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), on behalf of the Ministry of Education, under NCTE guidelines
- Admits you to
- A qualifying certificate (not a job by itself) needed to be appointed as a teacher for Classes I–VIII in central government schools (KVS, NVS, Central Tibetan Schools and others) and in CBSE-affiliated schools; many states also accept it alongside their own TETs.
- Who can sit
- The minimum teacher qualifications notified by NCTE for the level you want to teach, typically Class 12 plus a D.El.Ed (or equivalent) for Paper I, and a graduate degree plus B.Ed or D.El.Ed (or equivalent) for Paper II; final-year teacher-training students can usually appear. Check the exact combinations in the bulletin appendix.
- Pattern
- Pen-and-paper OMR test, no negative marking. Paper I (Classes I–V): 150 MCQs in 2½ hours — Child Development and Pedagogy, Mathematics, Environmental Studies, Language I and Language II (30 each). Paper II (Classes VI–VIII): 150 MCQs in 2½ hours — Child Development and Pedagogy (30), either Mathematics and Science or Social Studies (60), Language I and Language II (30 each). Take both papers to teach both levels. A score of 60% or more is a pass.
- When
- Usually twice a year; recent editions were held around February and September (applications about three months before each).
- Limits
- No limit on attempts. The certificate is valid for life for all categories.
Courses it leads to
Sources, checked 2026-09-28: ctet.nic.in · cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in