CTET September 2026 Notification Out

Apply Online, Exam Date, Eligibility, Fee and Complete Guide Conducting Body: Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), New Delhi Exam Name: Central Teacher Eligibility Test — CTET September 2026 Application Start Date: 11 May 2026 | Last Date to Apply: 10 June 2026 Exam Date: 6 September 2026 (Sunday) | Apply Mode: Online Only

What is CTET and Why Does It Matter

If you are dreaming of becoming a government school teacher in India, then CTET is the first and most important step in that journey. The Central Teacher Eligibility Test is conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Government of India.

The idea behind CTET comes from the Right to Education Act. Under Section 23 of the RTE Act, the National Council for Teacher Education made it mandatory for anyone wishing to teach in Classes 1 to 8 to first clear a Teacher Eligibility Test. This was done to bring a national standard to teacher quality, push teacher education institutions to improve, and send a clear message that the Government of India takes the quality of its teachers seriously.

CTET is applicable to schools run by the Central Government including Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, Central Tibetan Schools, and schools under the administrative control of Union Territories such as Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and the National Capital Territory of Delhi. Unaided private schools also have the option of considering CTET scores for teacher recruitment.

One important thing every candidate must understand is that qualifying CTET does not guarantee a job. It is only one of the eligibility criteria for appointment. The actual hiring is done by the concerned school or recruiting authority based on their own selection process.

CTET September 2026 — Complete Overview at a Glance

Important Dates — Do Not Miss Any Deadline

Note from the official bulletin: If the number of candidates registered increases significantly, the examination may also be conducted on 5 September 2026 (Saturday). The date allotted to each candidate will be on a random basis and no change of date will be accepted under any circumstances.

Exam Schedule and Timing

Candidates who arrive after 9:30 AM for Paper II or after 2:30 PM for Paper I will not be allowed to enter the examination centre under any circumstances. Candidates are strongly advised to reach the centre well before the entry time because biometric authentication may be introduced at centres this year.

Which Paper Should You Apply For

CTET has two separate papers. You need to choose based on the classes you wish to teach:

If you want to teach both primary and upper primary levels, you must appear for both Paper I and Paper II separately. The fee and application will cover both in a single form.

Eligibility Conditions

The minimum qualifications for CTET are decided by the National Council for Teacher Education. Candidates are advised to visit the NCTE website at https://ncte.gov.in to check their complete eligibility before applying.

There is no upper age limit specified for CTET. Any graduate or qualified candidate as per NCTE norms can apply. As per NCTE notification, candidates belonging to reserved categories such as SC, ST, OBC, and Differently Abled are allowed a relaxation of up to 5 percent in the qualifying marks of their minimum educational qualification for eligibility.

The candidate is personally responsible for verifying their own eligibility before applying. If a candidate has been allowed to appear in CTET, it does not mean their eligibility has been officially verified by CBSE. Eligibility is finally verified only by the appointing authority at the time of actual recruitment.

Examination Fee

GST as applicable will be charged extra by the bank over and above the fee amounts mentioned above.

Mode of payment is online only through Debit Card, Credit Card, or Net Banking. Fee once paid will not be refunded or adjusted under any circumstances. Do not submit more than one application form as it will result in cancellation of candidature with no communication from CBSE.

Paper Structure and Marks

Paper I — For Teaching Classes 1 to 5

Paper II — For Teaching Classes 6 to 8

All questions are Multiple Choice Questions with four options. One mark is awarded for each correct answer. There is no negative marking in CTET.

The question paper will be bilingual — available in both Hindi and English.

Candidates must choose two languages from the available list for Language I and Language II. Language II must be different from Language I. The languages must be chosen carefully as questions must be attempted in the languages mentioned on the Admit Card. Attempting in any other language will result in cancellation of candidature.

Qualifying Marks and CTET Certificate

As per NCTE notification, a candidate who scores 60 percent or more in the CTET exam will be considered as having passed the test. The CTET qualifying certificate is valid for a lifetime for all categories. There is no restriction on the number of attempts a person can take to acquire the certificate. A person who has already qualified CTET may also appear again to improve their score.

CBSE will provide CTET mark sheets to all candidates and eligibility certificates to successful candidates in digital format through their DigiLocker account. The certificates will be digitally signed and legally valid as per the IT Act. An encrypted QR code will also be added to enhance security.

Examination Centre Allocation

Candidates must note that the option to select an exam city is not available on the online application portal. CBSE will allot the examination city to each candidate on a random basis. No request for change of allotted examination city will be accepted under any circumstances. Similarly, if the exam is held on both 5 and 6 September 2026, the date allotted will also be on a random basis with no change permitted.

How to Apply — Step by Step Guide

Step 1 — Read the Information Bulletin First Before doing anything else, download and read the complete Information Bulletin available on the official CTET website. Go to https://ctet.nic.in and click on the Download Information Bulletin button. Read every instruction carefully so you do not make any mistakes in the application form.

Step 2 — Visit the Official Registration Page Go to the official registration and instructions page: https://examinationservices.nic.in/ExamSysCTET/Registration/Instruction.aspx

Read all the instructions displayed on the page carefully and tick the declaration checkbox confirming that you have read and understood all the instructions. Then click the “Click here to Proceed” button to begin your application.

Step 3 — Fill the Authentication Form (Screen 1) On the first screen, fill in your State, Identity Type (Aadhaar, Voter ID, Driving Licence, PAN Card or any other applicable identity), your Name exactly as recorded in your Class 10 certificate, Date of Birth as per Class 10 certificate, Gender, and the Security Pin shown on screen.

Step 4 — Fill the Complete Application Form (Screen 2) On the second screen, your name, gender, and date of birth will be auto-filled. You will need to add the following:

Mother’s Name as in Class 10 certificate in capital letters, Father’s Name as in Class 10 certificate in capital letters, two languages you wish to appear for from the available list, whether you are differently abled or not, your category (General, SC, ST, or OBC), status of qualifying examination (Passed or Appearing in Final Exam), employment status, which paper you are applying for (Paper I, Paper II, or Both), your minimum educational qualifications for the relevant class level, subject offered for Paper II if applicable (Mathematics and Science, or Social Science), your B.Ed college details, complete mailing address with PIN code in capital letters, your currently working mobile number, and your valid email ID.

Step 5 — Choose a Strong Password Create a password following the CTET password policy: it must be 8 to 13 characters long, must have at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one numeric digit, and one special character from the set !@#$%^&*-. Never share your password with anyone. CTET and NIC will not be responsible for any misuse. Always log out after every session.

Step 6 — Review and Submit Click Next to go to the Review page. Check all the details carefully. If anything is wrong, click Back and correct it. Once everything is correct, click Final Submit. After submission, a Registration Number or Application Number will be generated automatically. Note this number immediately. You will need it for all future correspondence, fee payment, and login.

Step 7 — Upload Your Photograph and Signature Upload your latest passport-size photograph and signature in JPG or JPEG format only. The photo size must be between 10 KB and 100 KB. The photo dimensions must be 3.5 cm width by 4.5 cm height. The signature size must be between 3 KB and 30 KB. The signature dimensions must be 3.5 cm length by 1.5 cm height. Both uploads are mandatory. The photograph will be matched with the actual candidate at the examination centre, so make sure it is your most recent photo.

Step 8 — Pay the Examination Fee Pay the applicable fee through online mode using Debit Card, Credit Card, or Net Banking. Do not pay through any other mode like money order, demand draft, or IPO as it will be rejected. After successful payment, a Confirmation Page will be generated. If the Confirmation Page does not appear after payment, the transaction is considered incomplete and the amount will be refunded to your card within a week. You will need to initiate a fresh payment in such cases.

Step 9 — Print the Confirmation Page Once fee payment is successful, take a printout of the Confirmation Page. This is your proof that the application has been successfully submitted. You do not need to send this to the CTET Unit but you must keep it safely for your own future reference.

Important: The application is considered complete only after the Confirmation Page has been generated. Candidates are not required to send any hard copy to CBSE.

Correction Window — What Can Be Changed

Candidates can make corrections in their application form during the correction window from 15 June 2026 to 18 June 2026. The following fields can be corrected: Name, Father’s Name, Mother’s Name, Date of Birth, Category, Differently Abled category, Paper opted, Subject for Paper II, Language I and Language II, Address of correspondence, and the name of the institution or college from where B.Ed or Diploma in Elementary Education was obtained.

Note that the city of examination cannot be changed even during the correction window. Corrections can be made only once. No change will be accepted through offline mode like fax, application, or email. No correspondence in this regard will be entertained after 18 June 2026.

What to Carry on Exam Day

Candidates must carry the following to the examination centre:

Candidates must not carry any of the following inside the examination centre: mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, earphones, calculators, smartwatches, wristwatches, wallets, handbags, any stationery item like geometry box, scale, eraser, whitener, writing pad, pen drives, log tables, electronic pens or scanners, food or beverages, or any other electronic communication device.

Important Rules During the Examination

All questions in CTET are Multiple Choice Questions. One correct circle must be darkened completely using a Black or Blue Ball Point Pen only. Use of pencil is strictly prohibited and OMR sheets filled with pencil will be rejected. Once a circle is darkened, the answer cannot be changed. Do not use eraser or white correction fluid on the OMR sheet as it is machine graded and may lead to rejection.

Candidates must sign the attendance sheet twice — once at the beginning of the exam and once while handing over the OMR sheet. If a candidate does not sign the second time, it will be treated as not having handed over the OMR sheet and will be considered an unfair means case.

What Happens After the Exam — Result and Certificate

The result will be declared tentatively by the end of October 2026. After declaration of result, CBSE will share digital mark sheets and eligibility certificates through DigiLocker accounts. OMR answer sheets and Answer Keys will be displayed on the official website for a period of two to three days. Candidates can challenge answers during this period by paying a non-refundable processing charge of Rs. 1000 per question. The Board’s decision on challenges will be final.

Candidates who need a photocopy of their OMR answer sheet after results can apply with a Demand Draft of Rs. 500 per OMR in favour of Secretary, CBSE, payable at Delhi.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the last date to apply for CTET September 2026? The last date to submit the online application and pay the fee is 10 June 2026 before 11:59 PM.

What is the exam date for CTET September 2026? The exam is scheduled on 6 September 2026 which is a Sunday. If candidate numbers increase, the exam may also be held on 5 September 2026 (Saturday).

Is there any age limit for CTET? No. There is no upper or lower age limit specified for CTET. Any candidate with the required educational qualifications can apply.

How long is the CTET certificate valid? The CTET qualifying certificate is valid for a lifetime for all categories. There is no expiry on the CTET certificate.

Can I apply for both Paper I and Paper II? Yes. If you wish to teach both primary and upper primary levels, you can apply for both papers in a single application. The fee for both papers combined is Rs. 1200 for General and OBC candidates and Rs. 600 for SC, ST, and Differently Abled candidates.

Is there negative marking in CTET? No. There is no negative marking in CTET. Each correct answer gets one mark.

Can I choose my exam city? No. The exam city will be allotted by CBSE on a random basis. No request for change will be entertained.

What is the qualifying score for CTET? A candidate who scores 60 percent or more is considered to have passed CTET. This means 90 marks out of 150 for a single paper.

Does qualifying CTET guarantee a teaching job? No. Qualifying CTET is only one of the eligibility criteria for appointment as a teacher. The actual recruitment and selection is done by the concerned school or recruiting authority through their own process.

Official Links — Only Government Portals

Disclaimer: This article is written for informational and guidance purposes based on the official CTET September 2026 Information Bulletin released by the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi. All dates, fees, and information mentioned here are sourced directly from the official PDF bulletin and official government portal. In case of any discrepancy, the official CBSE notification available at https://ctet.nic.in shall be treated as final and binding. Candidates are advised to read the complete official bulletin before applying.

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