Complete Exam Pattern: With about two months left for the CTET exam, which subjects will the questions in Papers 1 and 2 cover?

CTET 2026 Exam: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced the new dates for the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET). According to the latest notification issued by the CBSE, the 22nd edition of the CTET will be held on December 12 and 13, 2026. The exam was originally proposed for September 6, 2026, but was subsequently postponed. The Board has now released the new dates for the examination.

**Understanding the Exam Pattern is Crucial**
It is essential for candidates preparing for the exam to understand the exam pattern. The CTET consists of two papers. Let us understand which paper is intended for teaching which classes and the subjects covered in each.

**CTET: How Many Papers and for Whom?**
The CTET comprises two papers (Paper-1 and Paper-2). The duration for both papers is two and a half hours.

Paper-1 is for candidates aspiring to become teachers for Classes 1 to 5.
Paper-2 is for candidates aspiring to become teachers for Classes 6 to 8.

Candidates who wish to become teachers for both levels (Classes 1 to 8) must appear for both Paper-1 and Paper-2.

**Which Subjects Will Be Covered in Paper-1?**

Paper-1 is for the primary level, i.e., Classes 1 to 5. All subjects in this paper are compulsory. A total of 150 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) will be asked in Paper-1. Each question carries one mark. There is no negative marking.

**Subject** | **Questions** | **Marks**
--- | --- | ---
Child Development and Pedagogy | 30 | 30
Mathematics | 30 | 30
Environmental Studies | 30 | 30
Language-1 | 30 | 30
Language-2 | 30 | 30
**Total** | **150** | **150**

**What Will Be Asked in Child Development and Pedagogy?**
This section will contain questions based on educational psychology related to the education and learning of children aged six to 11 years. It will focus on questions related to understanding the characteristics and needs of diverse learners, interacting with students, and the qualities and attributes of an effective facilitator of learning.

What is the difference between Language-1 and Language-2?
In CTET, Language-1 relates to proficiency in the medium of instruction. Language-2, on the other hand, will feature questions testing language, communication, and comprehension skills.
Note that Language-2 must be different from Language-1. Candidates are given the option to select one language as Language-1 and another as Language-2 from the available languages ​​during the application process. The languages ​​available for CTET are:

Code    Language    Code    Language
01    English    15    Punjabi
02    Hindi    16    Sanskrit
03    Assamese    17    Tamil
04    Bengali    18    Telugu
05    Garo    19    Tibetan
06    Gujarati    20    Urdu
07    Kannada    21    Bodo
08    Khasi    22    Dogri
09    Malayalam    23    Kashmiri
10    Manipuri    24    Konkani
11    Marathi    25    Maithili
12    Mizo    26    Santali
13    Nepali    27    Sindhi
14    Odia

What kind of questions will be asked in Mathematics and Environmental Studies?
In Paper-1, questions related to Mathematics and Environmental Studies will focus on subject concepts, problem-solving abilities, and the understanding of how to teach the subject.
Questions for these subjects will be drawn equally from various sections of the NCERT-prescribed syllabus for Classes 1 to 5. However, the difficulty level of the questions and their inter-relationships may extend up to the secondary level.

Which subjects will be covered in Paper-2?
Paper-2 is for candidates aspiring to become teachers for Classes 6 to 8. It also consists of a total of 150 questions carrying a total of 150 marks. Subject / Section    Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)    Marks
Child Development and Pedagogy (Compulsory)    30    30
Mathematics and Science
(For Mathematics and Science teachers)
OR
Social Studies/Social Science
(For Social Studies/Social Science teachers)    60    60
Language-1 (Compulsory)    30    30
Language-2 (Compulsory)    30    30
Total    150    150

Candidates aspiring to become Mathematics and Science teachers will face 60 questions on Mathematics and Science.
Candidates aspiring to become Social Studies/Social Science teachers will face 60 questions on Social Studies/Social Science in this section.
For other teachers, there will be an option to choose between Mathematics & Science and Social Studies/Social Science.

Questions on Child Development and Language in Paper-2
The Child Development and Pedagogy section of Paper-2 will feature questions on educational psychology related to the teaching and learning of children aged 11 to 14 years.
Language-1 will test proficiency related to the medium of instruction, while Language-2 will focus on language, communication, and comprehension abilities. Language-2 must be selected as a language different from Language-1.
Questions in Mathematics & Science and Social Studies/Social Science will be based on concepts, problem-solving abilities, and pedagogical understanding of the subject. Mathematics and Science questions will carry 30 marks each.
Paper-2 questions will be based on the NCERT syllabus for classes 6 to 8; however, the difficulty level and inter-linkages of the questions may extend up to the senior secondary level.

Is there negative marking in CTET?
All questions in both CTET papers will be of the multiple-choice type.
Four options will be provided for each question, and the most appropriate answer must be selected.
Each question will carry one mark. There will be no negative marking in the examination.
The main question paper will be bilingual, i.e., in Hindi and English.

What marks are required to pass CTET?
Candidates securing 60% or more marks in CTET will be considered to have qualified. School managements may consider granting relaxations in marks to candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Persons with Disabilities (PwD), in accordance with their existing reservation policies.

Qualifying for CTET does not guarantee appointment in a teaching position; it is merely one of the prescribed eligibility criteria for recruitment. However, school managements may give weightage to CTET scores during the recruitment process.

What is the validity period of the CTET certificate?
The CTET eligibility certificate remains valid for a lifetime for all categories.
There is no restriction on the number of attempts a candidate can make to obtain the CTET certificate.
Candidates who have already qualified for CTET may also retake the exam to improve their scores.

Information regarding the exam city 15 days in advance
According to the latest notification from CBSE, the 22nd CTET examination will be held on December 12 and 13, 2026.
Information regarding the allotted exam city and date will be made available on the CTET portal 15 days prior to the examination.
Meanwhile, the admit card containing details of the specific exam center can be downloaded from the CTET portal two days before the exam.

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