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CTET: Central Teacher Eligibility Test

Conducted by
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
Question paper languages
English, Hindi
Last checked against official sources

Notes and practice for CTET are coming soon. Until then, this guide has the official pattern, marking, syllabus and links.

Exam pattern and marking

Paper I (Classes I-V, Primary)150 minutes150 marks

Sections, questions and marking for Paper I (Classes I-V, Primary)
SectionQuestionsMarks per questionNegative markingQuestion types
Child Development and Pedagogy3010MCQ
Mathematics3010MCQ
Environmental Studies3010MCQ
Language I3010MCQ
Language II3010MCQ

Paper II (Classes VI-VIII, Elementary)150 minutes150 marks

Sections, questions and marking for Paper II (Classes VI-VIII, Elementary)
SectionQuestionsMarks per questionNegative markingQuestion types
Child Development and Pedagogy3010MCQ
Mathematics and Science6010MCQ
Social Studies / Social Science6010MCQ
Language I3010MCQ
Language II3010MCQ

Two papers, each 150 MCQs, 1 mark each, no negative marking, 2.5 hours, pen-and-paper/OMR in the Sept 2026 edition. Paper I (Classes I-V): CDP, Mathematics, EVS, Language I, Language II (30 each). Paper II (Classes VI-VIII): CDP 30, Mathematics & Science 60 OR Social Studies 60, Language I 30, Language II 30. Qualifying: 60% (relaxations per State/central rules).

MCQ = single correct answer · MSQ = one or more correct answers · NAT / numeric = type a number. Negative marking is the number of marks deducted for a wrong answer.

Syllabus

83 subjects, topics and subtopics from the official syllabus. Tap a subject to expand it.

Explore the syllabus map
  • Child Development and Pedagogy (Paper I, age 6-11)21
    • Child development (15 questions)
      • Concept and principles of development; relationship with learning
      • Influence of heredity and environment
      • Socialisation: teacher, parents, peers
      • Piaget, Kohlberg and Vygotsky
      • Child-centred and progressive education
      • Intelligence; multi-dimensional intelligence
      • Language and thought
      • Gender as a social construct
      • Individual differences among learners
      • Assessment for and of learning; CCE; questioning
    • Inclusive education and children with special needs (5 questions)
      • Learners from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds
      • Learning difficulties and impairment
      • Talented, creative, specially abled learners
    • Learning and pedagogy (10 questions)
      • How children think and learn; why they fail
      • Basic processes of teaching and learning; social context
      • Child as problem solver and scientific investigator
      • Alternative conceptions; children's errors
      • Cognition, emotions, motivation; factors in learning
  • Child Development and Pedagogy (Paper II, age 11-14)3
    • Child development (15 questions): same areas as Paper I for the elementary school child
    • Inclusive education and children with special needs (5 questions)
    • Learning and pedagogy (10 questions)
  • Mathematics (Paper I)9
    • Content (15 questions)
      • Geometry; shapes and spatial understanding; solids around us
      • Numbers; addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
      • Measurement, weight, time, volume, money
      • Data handling, patterns
    • Pedagogical issues (15 questions)
      • Nature of mathematics, logical thinking, place in curriculum, language of maths
      • Community mathematics
      • Evaluation; error analysis; diagnostic and remedial teaching
  • Environmental Studies (Paper I)8
    • Content (15 questions)
      • Family and friends: relationships, work and play, animals, plants
      • Food, shelter, water
      • Travel; things we make and do
    • Pedagogical issues (15 questions)
      • Concept, scope and significance of EVS; integrated EVS
      • Learning principles, approaches, activities, experimentation, discussion
      • CCE, teaching aids, problems
  • Mathematics (Paper II)6
    • Content (20 questions)
      • Number system: knowing our numbers, whole numbers, integers, fractions
      • Introduction to algebra; ratio and proportion
      • Basic geometry, shapes, symmetry, construction
      • Mensuration; data handling
    • Pedagogical issues (10 questions)
  • Science (Paper II)8
    • Content (20 questions)
      • Food: sources, components, cleaning
      • Materials of daily use
      • The world of the living
      • Moving things, people and ideas
      • How things work: electric current and circuits, magnets
      • Natural phenomena; natural resources
    • Pedagogical issues (10 questions)
  • Social Studies / Social Science (Paper II)13
    • History
      • Earliest societies, first farmers, first cities, early states, new ideas, first empire
      • New kings and kingdoms, Sultans of Delhi, architecture, creation of an empire
      • Company power, rural life, colonialism, revolt of 1857, reform, nationalist movement, India after independence
    • Geography
      • Planet Earth in the solar system; globe
      • Environment: air, water, natural and human environment
      • Resources, agriculture, settlement, transport
    • Social and political life
      • Diversity, government, local and state government, democracy
      • Constitution, parliamentary government, judiciary
      • Media, gender, making a living, social justice and the marginalised
    • Pedagogical issues (20 questions)
  • Language I and Language II7
    • Comprehension (15 questions)
      • Unseen prose / poem passages: comprehension, inference, grammar, verbal ability
    • Pedagogy of language development (15 questions)
      • Learning and acquisition; principles of language teaching
      • Role of listening and speaking; role of grammar
      • Teaching language in a diverse classroom; difficulties and errors
      • Language skills; evaluating proficiency; materials; remedial teaching

Official sources

Always confirm details on the official website before applying.

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