The CTET September 2026 examination has a confirmed date. Through a public notice issued on 14 September 2026, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced that the 22nd edition of the Central Teacher Eligibility Test will be conducted on 12 and 13 December 2026. The test had originally been planned for 06 September 2026, but the board pushed it back after re-opening the application window for one final cycle. More than 25 lakh candidates are expected to appear, and the examination will be held offline on OMR sheets in the usual two papers — Paper I for Classes 1 to 5 and Paper II for Classes 6 to 8.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online application (first window) | 11-05-2026 to 10-06-2026 |
| Application re-opened (one-time) | 25-08-2026 to 01-09-2026 |
| Correction window | 07-09-2026 to 10-09-2026 |
| Public notice with revised dates | 14-09-2026 |
| CTET exam date (revised) | 12-12-2026 and 13-12-2026 |
| Exam city intimation slip | About 15 days before the exam |
| Admit card | About 2 days before the exam |
| Particular | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exam name | Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET), 22nd edition |
| Conducting body | Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) |
| Exam mode | Offline, OMR sheet based |
| Papers | Paper I (Classes 1-5), Paper II (Classes 6-8) |
| Questions / Marks | 150 questions, 150 marks per paper |
| Duration | 2 hours 30 minutes per paper |
| Negative marking | None |
| Shifts | 9:30 AM – 12:00 noon; 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM |
| Qualifying marks | 60% (General), 55% (SC/ST/OBC/PH) |
| Certificate validity | Lifetime |
Paper I (Classes 1-5): Senior Secondary with at least 50% marks and a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education (45% acceptable under NCTE norms), or a 4-year B.El.Ed, or a 2-year Diploma in Education (Special Education). Paper II (Classes 6-8): Graduation with at least 50% marks and a B.Ed (45% graduation acceptable with B.Ed under NCTE norms), or Senior Secondary with 50% marks plus B.El.Ed / B.A.Ed / B.Sc.Ed, or post-graduation with 55% marks plus a 3-year integrated B.Ed-M.Ed. Candidates should confirm the exact code-wise eligibility in the CBSE information brochure before the exam.
| Category | Single paper | Both papers |
|---|---|---|
| General / OBC / EWS | Rs 1000 | Rs 1200 |
| SC / ST / PH | Rs 500 | Rs 600 |
The fee was payable online during the application windows, which are now closed.
CBSE had first scheduled the 22nd CTET for 06 September 2026. After petitions from teacher-training candidates and directions from the Supreme Court, the board granted a one-time re-opening of the application portal from 25 August to 01 September 2026, followed by a correction window from 07 to 10 September 2026. To accommodate the enlarged applicant pool — over 25 lakh candidates across hundreds of test cities — the board shifted the examination to 12 and 13 December 2026. Candidates who had already applied do not need to re-apply.
1. Visit the official CTET portal at ctet.nic.in.
2. Open the admit card / exam city intimation link for the September 2026 session.
3. Enter the application number and date of birth.
4. Check the allotted exam city, date, paper and shift, then download and print the hall ticket. Candidates must carry a printed admit card and a valid photo ID to the centre.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is India's national school-education board and conducts the Central Teacher Eligibility Test twice a year. CTET is the mandatory eligibility test for appointment as a teacher in central government schools such as Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas, and is widely accepted by state government and government-aided schools. The certificate carries lifetime validity.
| Link | URL |
|---|---|
| CTET official website | ctet.nic.in |
| Exam date notice (14-09-2026) | Available on the CTET portal under Public Notices |
| CBSE official website | www.cbse.gov.in |
Q. When will the CTET September 2026 exam be held?
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will hold the 22nd edition of the CTET for the September 2026 session on 12 and 13 December 2026. The revised schedule was issued through a public notice dated 14 September 2026 on ctet.nic.in, replacing the earlier plan of 06 September 2026.
Q. When will the CTET admit card 2026 be released?
CBSE will release the exam city intimation slip about 15 days before the examination, and the admit card roughly 2 days before the exam date. Candidates should download the admit card from ctet.nic.in and check the allotted centre, paper and shift carefully.
Q. What is the exam pattern of CTET 2026?
CTET is an offline OMR-based test with two papers. Paper I is for Classes 1 to 5 and Paper II for Classes 6 to 8. Each paper has 150 multiple-choice questions for 150 marks, to be completed in 2 hours 30 minutes, and there is no negative marking.
Q. What are the CTET exam shifts and timings?
Each paper is conducted in two shifts: 9:30 AM to 12:00 noon and 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM. Candidates must report as per the shift printed on their admit card.
Q. What are the qualifying marks for CTET 2026?
General category candidates need 60 percent (90 out of 150 marks), while SC, ST, OBC and differently-abled candidates need 55 percent (82 out of 150 marks) to qualify. The CTET certificate carries lifetime validity.
Q. Can I still apply for CTET September 2026?
No. The application window ran from 11 May to 10 June 2026 and was re-opened once from 25 August to 01 September 2026; the correction window closed on 10 September 2026. Only candidates who completed the form can appear for the December examination.
Q. What is the eligibility for CTET Paper I and Paper II?
For Paper I (Classes 1-5), candidates need Senior Secondary with at least 50 percent marks plus a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education, or equivalent qualifications such as B.El.Ed or D.Ed (Special Education). For Paper II (Classes 6-8), a graduation with at least 50 percent marks plus B.Ed, or equivalent teacher-training qualifications, is required. Full details are in the CBSE information brochure.
Q. What is the CTET application fee?
For a single paper the fee is Rs 1000 for General, OBC and EWS candidates and Rs 500 for SC, ST and PH candidates. For both papers together it is Rs 1200 for General, OBC and EWS and Rs 600 for SC, ST and PH.