CTET 2026: Exam Date, Application, Eligibility, Pattern & More

CTET 2026: The CBSE will conduct the CTET 2026 exam on February 8, 2026. Both Paper 1 and Paper 2 will be held on this date. The exam authority will release the CTET 2026 Application Form tentatively in the first week of November 2025 at ctet.nic.in.

Candidates who meet the CTET 2026 eligibility criteria can apply for the exam. Check out the eligibility criteria, important dates, steps to apply, pattern, and other important details about the CTET 2026 in this article.

Note: The information provided in this article is based on the previous year’s CTET Notification. If there are any changes in the exam pattern, syllabus, or other relevant aspects, the article will be updated as per the CTET 2026 Notification, which is expected to be released in the fourth week of October 2025 at ctet.nic.in.

What is CTET?

CTET stands for Central Teacher Eligibility Test. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Delhi conducts this test to assess the eligibility of candidates aspiring to become teachers in Indian schools for Classes I–V and Classes VI–VIII.

It should be noted that CTET marks are used for recruiting teachers only in schools that accept the test as per the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act 2009). Most central and state schools currently accept CTET scores.

CTET 2026 Notification

CBSE has released a short notice at ctet.nic.in mentioning the exam date for the 12th Edition of CTET. The exam will be held on February 8, 2026 in two shifts for Paper 1 and Paper 2. The CTET 2026 Notification is expected to be released in the first week of November 2026 on the official CTET website – ctet.nic.in. The PDF of the official notification will be provided here once released. To learn more about the exam, aspirants can refer to the notification from the previous year's session.

CTET 2026 Dates

The dates for the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) 2026 will be announced along with the test notification in the first week of November 2026 (tentatively). Meanwhile, candidates can check the tentative exam dates given below:

CTET 2026: Highlights

To get an overview of the important details about the CTET, check out the following test highlights:

CTET 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Before applying for CTET 2026, aspirants need to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria for the test. Here are the CTET eligibility criteria for Paper 1 and Paper 2:

CTET 2026 Application Form

The CTET 2026 application process is likely to start in the fourth week of October 2025 at ctet.nic.in. To apply for the test, aspirants can use the following steps:

1. Go to the official CTET website – ctet.nic.in.

2. Click on the “Apply” option under the “New Candidate Registration” menu.

3. Register by entering your personal and contact details.

4.  Once the registration is completed, log in using the provided Application Number and generated password.

5. Fill out the application form.

6. Upload your passport-size photo and a scanned copy of your signature.

7. Submit the application fee and complete the application process.

CTET 2026 Application Fee

To apply for CTET 2026, candidates must pay the application fee online as specified by the exam authority. The CTET 2026 application fees for the December session are as follows:

Note: Additional bank or GST charges may apply depending on the payment method used.​

Candidates must note that the application fees mentioned above are subject to change. If any revisions are announced as per the CTET 2026 February Notification, the details will be updated accordingly.

CTET 2026 Exam Pattern

Candidates who want to become a Primary Teacher (PRT) must appear for CTET Paper 1. There will be a total of 150 questions in the paper. Check out the complete CTET 2026 exam pattern for Paper 1 below:

To teach students of Class VI-VIII as a Trained Graduate Teacher, candidates must appear for CTET Paper 2. The paper has four sections. The first three sections have 30 multiple-choice questions each. The fourth section includes 60 multiple-choice questions. Check out the complete pattern for Paper 2 below:

CTET 2026 Marking Scheme

Candidates planning to appear for the CTET 2026 exam must know the CTET marking scheme 2026 to understand the parameters based on which their performance is assessed. The marking scheme is available as follows:

CTET 2026 Admit Card

Candidates appearing for the CTET 2026 exam must carry the admit card or hall ticket to the exam centre. The CTET admit card 2026 is expected to be released 2 days before the exam on ctet.nic.in. Check out the steps to download it here:

1. Visit the CTET official website – ctet.nic.in.

2. Click on the “Admit Card” link.

3. Enter the required login credentials – Application Number and Date of Birth.

4. Enter the given Security PIN.

5. Submit the entered details.

6. Click on the “Download” option to save the admit card as a PDF.

CTET 2026 Result

The CBSE is expected to release the CTET 2026 result tentatively in March 2026 at the official website ctet.nic.in. Candidates who clear the exam can apply for teaching job vacancies across India. The CTET exam scores are valid for a lifetime.

1. Go to ctet.nic.in.

2. Scroll down to find the result link and click on it.

3. Enter your roll number and submit it.

4. Your result will appear on the screen.

5. Click on the download option to save the result as a PDF.

Conclusion

The CTET exam is held to assess the eligibility of candidates aspiring to become Primary Teachers (PRTs) and Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs) in India. The CTET 2026 Notification is expected to be released in the fourth week of October 2026 at ctet.nic.in. There will be two papers for CTET 2026: Paper 1 (for Class I-V teachers) and Paper 2 (for Class VI-VIII teachers). To crack these papers, candidates must refer to the prescribed official exam patterns and syllabi.