CTET Qualifying Marks 2026, Category Wise Passing Marks Percentage
CTET Qualifying Marks 2026 are set at 90 marks for General and 82 marks for reserved categories out of 150. The CTET result has been announced on March 30. Qualified candidates can download their lifetime validity certificate from DigiLocker for teaching roles in KVS, NVS, and other central schools.
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CTET Qualifying Marks 2026: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has set a criterion regarding the CTET Qualifying Marks 2026. It depends on the category of the candidates. UR category needs to score 60% of 150 marks, i.e. 90 marks to pass the CTET examination. On the other hand, there is a relaxation provided to the reserved category. Reserved Category candidates need to score 55% out of 150 marks, i.e. around 82 marks, to pass the CTET exam. The CTET Exam Certificate holds lifetime validity. Candidates can use the certificate to apply for government and private teaching jobs.
CTET Qualifying Marks 2026 Category-Wise
CTET Qualifying Marks 2026, Category-Wise, are the minimum required marks depending on the category of the candidates to pass the CTET exam. 60% marks required out of 150 marks for UR category is 90 marks. Reserved category candidates need to score 55% marks out of 150 marks, i.e. 82 marks to pass the exam.
| CTET Qualifying Marks 2026 Category-Wise | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Passing Percentage | Passing Marks (Out of 150) |
| General / Unreserved | 60% | 90 marks |
| OBC | 55% | 82 marks |
| SC | 55% | 82 marks |
| ST | 55% | 82 marks |
| PWD | 55% | 82 marks |
CTET Passing Criteria for Paper 1 and Paper 2
The CTET examination comprises two distinct papers, each designed for different teaching levels. While the passing criteria remain consistent for both, their target audiences differ.
CTET Paper 1 Passing Criteria
Paper 1 is specifically for candidates who intend to teach Classes I to V, covering the primary level. To qualify for this paper, candidates must achieve:
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90 marks for General category candidates.
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82 marks for OBC, SC, ST, and PwD category candidates.
CTET Paper 2 Passing Criteria
Paper 2 is for those who aspire to teach Classes VI to VIII, which is the upper primary level. The qualifying marks for Paper 2 are identical to Paper 1:
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90 marks for General category candidates.
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82 marks for OBC, SC, ST, and PwD category candidates.
Candidates who wish to teach both primary and upper primary levels (Classes I–VIII) must appear for and qualify in both Paper 1 and Paper 2.
CTET Score Calculation Method
Candidates should know the CTET marking scheme that can help them calculate the marks scored in the examination. The CTET exam total marks is 150. There is no negative marking in the CTET exam.
How CTET Marks Are Calculated?
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Each correct answer is awarded 1 mark.
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There is no deduction for incorrect answers.
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Each paper consists of 150 questions.
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The maximum score obtainable is 150 marks.
Score Formula
CTET score is simply the total number of correct answers you provide.
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CTET Score = Total Number of Correct Answers × 1
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It is important to note that scores are always whole numbers. Fractional scores, such as 82.5, are not possible.
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Therefore, candidates must achieve the exact passing marks: 90 for the General category and 82 for the reserved categories.
CTET Normalisation Process
Normalisation is a statistical method applied to ensure fairness, especially when an examination is conducted in multiple shifts with varying difficulty levels. Although the CTET generally aims for uniform difficulty across shifts, normalisation might still be applied to balance candidate scores.
How Normalisation Works?
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If different shifts are found to have varying difficulty levels, compensatory marks may be awarded to candidates in tougher shifts.
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Scores are statistically adjusted to ensure an equitable evaluation across all exam sessions.
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The final CTET scores released reflect these normalised values, not just the raw marks obtained.
CTET Previous Year Passing Percentage
CTET Previous Year Passing Percentage provides an overview of the number of candidates who appeared, qualified, and the overall passing percentage for both Paper 1 and Paper 2.
| Year | Paper | Candidates Appeared | Candidates Qualified | Passing % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 (Aug) | Paper 1 | 12,13,704 | 2,98,758 | 24.6% |
| Paper 2 | 11,66,178 | 1,01,057 | 8.66% | |
| 2022 (Dec) | Paper 1 | 14,22,959 | 5,79,844 | 40.72% |
| Paper 2 | 12,76,071 | 3,76,025 | 29.44% | |
| 2021 (Jan) | Paper 1 | 12,47,217 | 4,14,798 | 33.25% |
| Paper 2 | 11,04,454 | 2,39,501 | 21.68% | |
| 2019 (Dec) | Paper 1 | 14,13,390 | 2,47,386 | 17.50% |
| Paper 2 | 9,91,755 | 2,94,899 | 29.73% | |
| 2019 (July) | Paper 1 | 13,59,478 | 2,14,658 | 15.78% |
| Paper 2 | 10,17,553 | 1,37,172 | 13.48% |
CTET Certificate Validity After Qualifying
CTET certificate validity is lifetime. No need to reappear for the exam after qualifying it.
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Candidates are not required to reappear for the CTET exam after qualifying once.
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The certificate is accepted for teaching positions in various institutions, including KVS, NVS, EMRS, and CBSE-affiliated schools/
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The CTET certificate remains valid throughout India.