CTET Eligibility 2026: Check Paper 1 & Paper 2 Eligibility Criteria
CTET Eligibility 2026 has been released along with the notification on 27th November 2025. As per the released CTET 2026 notification, candidates must meet the prescribed educational criteria—12th with D.El.Ed/B.El.Ed for Paper 1 and Graduation with B.Ed/B.El.Ed for Paper 2.
Abhishek Kumar28 Nov, 2025
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CTET Eligibility 2026: All applicants must comprehend the new CTET Eligibility 2026 after the CBSE released the CTET 2026 Notification on 27th November 2025. The Central Board of Secondary Education has thoroughly stated the educational requirements, age limits, relaxation regulations, and category-specific criteria for both Paper 1 and Paper 2.
This section provides a clear and up-to-date explanation of the whole CTET Eligibility Criteria, including minimum qualifications, paper-wise norms, reservation advantages, and passing standards.
CTET Eligibility Criteria 2026
CBSE has set separate eligibility conditions for Paper 1 (Primary Level) and Paper 2 (Upper Primary Level). Candidates must meet the required educational qualifications to apply. The CTET exam determines the eligibility of teachers for classes I to VIII in government schools nationwide.
With the CTET 2026 notification now released, candidates who are interested can submit their applications online from November 27, 2026, to December 18, 2026
CTET Eligibility 2026 Overview
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducts the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) twice a year. Here is a quick overview of the major eligibility requirements for CTET 2026:
| CTET Eligibility 2026 Overview | |
| CTET Full Form | Central Teacher Eligibility Test |
| Exam Conducting Body | Central Board of Secondary Education |
| Exam Name | CTET 2026 |
| CTET Exam Date | 8 February, 2026 |
| Exam Level | National |
| Mode of Application | Online |
| Exam Mode | Offline |
| Exam Frequency | Twice a year |
| Paper Levels | CTET Paper 1 (Classes 1 to 5) |
| CTET Paper 2 (Classes 6 to 8) | |
| CTET Age Limit | Minimum: 18 Years, and there is no restriction on the upper age limit to apply for the CTET 2026 |
| CTET Educational Qualification |
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| Helpline Contact Number | 011-22240112 |
| Official Website | www.ctet.nic.in |
CTET Eligibility for Paper 1 (Class 1 to 5)
Candidates must meet the educational qualification criteria for the CTET 2026 before applying. Below are the detailed CTET educational qualification criteria for Paper 1 (Classes 1 to 5):
| CTET Eligibility Criteria 2026 for Paper 1 | |
| CTET Eligibility 2026 | CTET 2026 Educational Qualification |
| Diploma in Elementary Education | Candidates must have cleared or are still pursuing the final year of a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education from a recognized University/Institution with a minimum of 50% marks. |
| OR, Diploma in Elementary Education (NCTE) | Applicants must have cleared or still pursue the final year of a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education per the NCTE, Regulations, 2002, from a recognized University/ Institution with a minimum of 45% marks. |
| OR, Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education (B.El.Ed) | Aspirants must have cleared or are still pursuing the final year of a 4-year Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education (B.El.Ed) from a recognized University/Institution with at least 50% marks. |
| OR, Diploma in Special Education | Candidates must have cleared or are still pursuing the final year of a 2-year Diploma in Special Education from a recognized University/Institution with at least 50% marks. |
| OR, Graduation and Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) | Candidates must have cleared Graduation with at least 50% marks and a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) from a recognized University/Institution. |
CTET Eligibility for Paper 2 (Class 6 to 8)
To apply for the CTET 2026 Exam, candidates must read and meet the educational qualification criteria for Papers 1 and 2. If a candidate does not meet the educational qualifications, their candidature will be cancelled. Below are the detailed CTET Exam educational qualification criteria for Paper 2 (Classes 6 to 8):
| CTET Eligibility Criteria 2026 for Paper 2 | |
| CTET Eligibility 2026 | CTET 2026 Educational Qualification |
| Diploma in Elementary Education | Graduation and pursuing or cleared the final year of a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education from a recognized University/Institution. |
| OR, Bachelor in Education (B.Ed) | Graduation with at least 50% marks and passed or appeared in the first year of Bachelor in Education (B.Ed) from a recognized University/Institution. |
| OR, Bachelor's Degree in Education | Graduation with a minimum of 45% marks and passed or appeared in 1 year of Bachelor's Degree in Education (B.Ed) as per NCTE Regulations. |
| OR, B.EI.Ed | Graduation with at least 50% marks in Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) and cleared Graduation in a 4-year Bachelor in Elementary Education (B.EI.Ed). |
| OR, B.A/B.Sc.Ed or B.A.Ed/B.Sc.Ed | Graduation with at least 50% marks in Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) and cleared Graduation in 4-year B.A/B.Sc.Ed or B.A.Ed/B.Sc.Ed. |
| OR, B.Ed. (Special Education) | Graduation with a minimum of 50% marks and cleared or appeared in a 1-year B.Ed. (Special Education). |
| OR, B.Ed. Programs recognized by the NCTE | Candidates who have cleared Graduation in B.Ed. Programs recognized by the NCTE are eligible to appear in TET/CTET. |
CTET Age Limit 2026
As per the last years' trends, the Central Board of School Education (CBSE) has set the minimum age limit for the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) 2026 at 18 years.
| CTET Age Limit 2026 | |
| Minimum Age | 18 years old |
| Maximum Age | CBSE has not set any maximum age limit for the CTET 2026. |
CTET Educational Qualification 2026
The CTET Educational Qualification to appear for the CTET exam is determined by NCTE. As per the previous years' CBSE guidelines, CTET Educational Qualification is divided into two papers i.e. Paper I and Paper II. Candidates must meet the following educational qualifications to apply for the CTET 2026 Exam.
CTET Revised Eligibility Criteria
The exam is expected to be held in July or August 2026, and the official notification is likely to be announced soon. Based on previous years’ trends, candidates can get a good idea of the eligibility criteria.
- Under the new guidelines, candidates currently enrolled in any TTC can now apply for the CTET Examination. Even candidates whose appointments have been challenged are now eligible to appear in the TET exam while pursuing their TTC.
- The NCTE Regulations state that candidates with post-graduation must have a minimum of 55% marks or an equivalent grade and a three-year integrated B.Ed.-M.Ed. Course.
- Candidates must meet the minimum qualifications laid down in the Recruitment Rules for teachers by the Appropriate Government, applicable to the school's location, or the Recruitment Rules for teachers of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan or Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti.
- Qualifying for the CTET does not guarantee appointment rights to the candidate. The CTET only serves as a qualifying exam, and the final eligibility for any teaching recruitment will be verified by the concerned authority.
CTET पात्रता
CTET में शामिल होने के लिए उम्मीदवारों को NCTE द्वारा अधिसूचित न्यूनतम योग्यता होनी चाहिए. शिक्षण कर्मचारियों के लिए न्यूनतम योग्यता NCTE के विनियमों, भर्ती नियमों या केंद्रीय विद्यालय संगठन/नवोदय विद्यालय समिति के नियमों के अनुसार होगी.
शिक्षण कर्मचारियों के लिए न्यूनतम योग्यता निम्नलिखित के अनुसार होनी चाहिए:
- राष्ट्रीय अध्यापक शिक्षा परिषद (पूर्व-प्राथमिक, प्राथमिक, उच्च प्राथमिक, माध्यमिक, वरिष्ठ माध्यमिक या इंटरमीडिएट स्कूलों या कॉलेजों में शिक्षा शिक्षकों और शारीरिक शिक्षा शिक्षकों के रूप में भर्ती किए जाने वाले व्यक्तियों के लिए न्यूनतम योग्यता का निर्धारण) विनियम जैसा कि समय-समय पर संशोधित और अधिसूचित किया गया है.
- जिस राज्य में स्कूल स्थित है, वहां की उपयुक्त सरकार द्वारा शिक्षकों के लिए भर्ती नियमों में या केंद्रीय विद्यालय संगठन या नवोदय विद्यालय समिति के शिक्षकों के लिए भर्ती नियमों में निर्धारित न्यूनतम योग्यता.
CTET Nationality
The CBSE authorities first consider the nationality of the candidate before proceeding with further rounds. The candidate must be an Indian Citizen or meet one of the following CTET Eligibility Criteria 2026:
- A Nepalese subject.
- A Bhutanese subject.
- The candidate is a Tibetan who came to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of settling in India permanently.
- The candidate has migrated from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Ethiopia, Vietnam, or Burma with the intention of settling in India permanently.
CTET Eligibility for Reserved Category
The CTET Eligibility Criteria 2026 for the reserved category are crucial to consider. Candidates who appear for the examination must achieve the minimum qualifying marks to be declared qualified. The reservation criteria are an essential part of the CTET Eligibility 2026. According to the most recent eligibility criteria, candidates in the general category must score a minimum of 60% to pass the CTET 2026 exam.
For reserved categories like scheduled caste (SC), scheduled tribe (ST), other backward class (OBC), and differently-abled candidates, there is a 5% relaxation in the qualifying marks. This means that candidates belonging to the OBC/SC/ST categories need to score at least 55% to pass the CTET exam as per the CBSE CTET Eligibility rules.
| CTET Eligibility 2026 for Reserved Category | ||
| Category | CTET Qualifying Percentage | CTET Qualifying Marks (Out of 150) |
| General | 60% | 90 |
| OBC/SC/ST | 55% | 82 |
CTET Nationality Requirements
To apply for CTET, a candidate must be:
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A citizen of India, or
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A subject of Nepal/Bhutan, or
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A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962.
CTET Number of Attempts
Candidates can make multiple attempts for the CTET Exam. Even those who have already qualified for CTET can reappear to enhance their scores. Additionally, there is no upper age limit for taking the CTET exam. This means that candidates can take the exam as many times as they need until they achieve the desired scores.
CTET Passing Marks / Qualifying Criteria
To qualify CTET:
| Category | Minimum Marks | Qualifying % |
| General | 90 out of 150 | 60% |
| OBC/SC/ST/PwD | 82 out of 150 | 55% |
After qualifying, you receive a CTET Certificate, which is now valid for a lifetime.
CTET Certificate Validity
The CTET qualifying certificate for appointment is valid for a lifetime for all categories. There is no limit on the number of attempts a person can make to acquire a CTET certificate. A person who has qualified for the CTET exam may also appear again to improve their score.
CTET Eligibility Key Points
Before applying for the CTET 2026 Exam, candidates must check the following CTET Eligibility 2026 requirements:
- Recognition of Degree or Diploma : The candidate's degree or diploma must be recognized by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).
- Special Education Programs : Candidates holding a Diploma or Degree in Special Education must have completed programs accredited by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI).
- Additional Requirements for D.Ed (Special Education) Holders : Candidates with a D.Ed (Special Education) must also complete a 6-month NCTE-approved Special Programme in Elementary Education.
- Subjects Eligibility : The minimum educational qualifications mentioned above apply to instructors of various subjects, such as Languages, Social Studies/Social Science, Mathematics, Science, etc.
- Physical Education Instructors : Physical Education instructors must adhere to the standards outlined in NCTE rules.
- Norms for Art, Home Science, Work, and Craft Education Teachers : For teachers in subjects like Art Education, Home Science, Work Education, and Craft Education, the eligibility norms established by state governments and other school administrations will apply.
- Self-verification of Eligibility : It is the responsibility of the candidates to ensure that they meet the eligibility conditions before applying.
- Final Verification : Candidates should note that acceptance to take the test does not guarantee their eligibility. The authorities will conduct a final verification before the appointment.