CBSE has revised the schedule of the 22nd edition of the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET). According to the Public Notice dated 14 September 2026, the examination will now be conducted on 12 and 13 December 2026, replacing the earlier September schedule.
The latest notice also clarifies the timeline for examination-city information and the admit card. Candidates will receive their allotted examination city and examination date through the CTET portal 15 days before the examination, while the admit card containing the examination-centre details will be available two days before the examination.
CTET is an eligibility test rather than a direct recruitment examination. It is relevant to teaching eligibility for Classes I to VIII, with Paper I covering Classes I–V and Paper II covering Classes VI–VIII. Candidates preparing for the December examination should therefore verify their applicable NCTE qualification requirements before relying on the test for any subsequent recruitment.
For related examination updates, candidates can also explore Desk4Info Exams & Results.
CTET September 2026 Notification Matrix
| Particular | Verified Details |
|---|---|
| Exam | Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) |
| Edition | 22nd Edition |
| Conducting Authority | Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) |
| Latest Notice | 14 September 2026 |
| Reference | CBSE/CTET/2026 |
| Revised Examination | 12 & 13 December 2026 |
| Application Portal | Access CTET Official Portal |
| CBSE Website | Access CBSE Official Website |
The original CBSE notice dated 8 May 2026 had scheduled the examination for September, with applications from 11 May to 10 June 2026. The subsequent notices changed the application opportunity and finally revised the examination to December.
CTET Dates, Application & Correction Status
The original application period was 11 May to 10 June 2026. CBSE subsequently provided an additional application opportunity from 25 August to 1 September 2026 for eligible candidates who had not used the earlier window. Candidates who had already successfully submitted an application were not required to apply again.
A correction facility was subsequently available from 7 September to 10 September 2026, including applicable corrections for candidates who had applied during the original window. CBSE stated that corrections would not be permitted after 10 September 2026.
| Event | Date / Status |
|---|---|
| Original Application | 11 May–10 June 2026 |
| Additional Application | 25 August–1 September 2026 |
| Correction Window | 7–10 September 2026 |
| Revised Examination | 12–13 December 2026 |
| Exam City & Date | 15 days before examination |
| Admit Card | 2 days before examination |
⚠️ Critical Mandatory Warning: September examination dates and the earlier correction/application deadlines should not be treated as the current examination date. The latest CBSE notice specifies 12 and 13 December 2026 as the revised examination dates.
Paper I & Paper II Exam Structure
CTET is divided into two papers according to the teaching level.
Paper I is for candidates intending to teach Classes I to V. Its five sections are Child Development & Pedagogy, Mathematics, Environmental Studies, Language I and Language II, with 30 questions in each section, making 150 questions and 150 marks.
Paper II is for Classes VI to VIII. It contains Child Development & Pedagogy, Language I, Language II and a 60-question subject section comprising Mathematics & Science or Social Studies/Social Science.
Both papers contain 150 MCQs for 150 marks and have a duration of 2 hours 30 minutes. The examination has no negative marking.
| Paper | Teaching Level | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | Classes I–V | 150 | 150 | 2.5 Hours |
| Paper II | Classes VI–VIII | 150 | 150 | 2.5 Hours |
Technical Eligibility & Academic Scrutiny
The CTET bulletin does not prescribe one independent qualification rule outside the NCTE framework. It states that the minimum qualifications for appearing in CTET are those notified by NCTE, along with applicable recruitment rules for teachers issued by the appropriate government and the rules applicable to Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan or Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti.
This means candidates should not assume that merely possessing a particular degree automatically makes them eligible for every CTET paper or subsequent teaching recruitment. The relevant qualification pathway needs to be matched with the teaching level and the applicable recruitment rules.
The bulletin also places responsibility on the candidate to satisfy eligibility before applying. Permission to appear in CTET does not mean that the candidate’s eligibility has been finally verified. Final verification is to be carried out by the concerned recruiting agency or appointing authority.
The available official CTET September 2026 material used for this article does not provide a single general age-limit figure or age cut-off date. Accordingly, Desk4Info is not inserting an assumed age limit.
The same source material does not provide a complete degree-by-degree matrix covering every possible qualification combination or final-year pathway. Candidates should therefore check the applicable NCTE notification and recruitment rules before treating a qualification as sufficient.
CTET qualification itself does not create a direct right to appointment. The examination is an eligibility requirement that may be considered by relevant schools or recruiting authorities according to their applicable rules.
The bulletin states that CTET applies to schools under the Central Government, including KVS and NVS, and may also be considered by unaided private schools. Schools managed by State Governments/local bodies generally consider the relevant State TET, although a State Government may also consider CTET if it decides not to conduct its own TET.
CTET Certificate Validity
The CTET qualifying certificate has lifetime validity for all categories. There is also no restriction on the number of attempts, and a candidate who has already qualified may appear again for score improvement.
Gateway Management & Application Protocol
The official application procedure requires candidates to access the CTET Official Portal or the CBSE Official Website.
The application workflow specified in the bulletin includes registration, completion of the online form, uploading the photograph and signature, payment of examination fee and preservation of the confirmation page.
Photograph and Signature Specifications
| Document | Format | File Size | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photograph | JPG/JPEG | 10–100 KB | 3.5 × 4.5 cm |
| Signature | JPG/JPEG | 3–30 KB | 3.5 × 1.5 cm |
The examination fee is ₹1,000 for General/OBC (NCL) candidates for one paper and ₹1,200 for both papers. For SC/ST/Differently Abled candidates, the fee is ₹500 for one paper and ₹600 for both papers, with applicable GST charged extra.
The bulletin specifies online payment through debit card, credit card or net banking. Candidates should retain the confirmation page for future reference.
CTET Helpdesk
CTET Unit, CBSE Integrated Office Complex
Sector-23, Phase-1, Dwarka, New Delhi-110077
Telephone: 011-24050477
Email: ctet.cbse@nic.in
Red-Flag Application Errors Causing Rejection
Candidates should avoid these common procedural mistakes:
- Submitting more than one online application.
- Entering personal details differently from the Class X certificate.
- Uploading photographs outside the prescribed file-size limits.
- Uploading signatures outside the prescribed dimensions or file-size limits.
- Failing to retain the confirmation page.
- Assuming that appearing in CTET automatically confirms eligibility.
- Relying on old September examination dates after the revised December notice.
The bulletin states that submission of more than one application can result in cancellation of candidature and possible debarment from future examinations.
Candidate FAQs
What is the revised CTET 2026 exam date?
CBSE has scheduled the 22nd edition of CTET for 12 and 13 December 2026. Examination-city and allotted-date information will be released 15 days before the examination.
Is CTET a recruitment examination?
No, CTET is an eligibility test and does not itself provide a right to appointment. Final recruitment eligibility is verified by the concerned recruiting or appointing authority.
How many papers are there in CTET?
There are two papers, with Paper I intended for Classes I–V and Paper II for Classes VI–VIII. Candidates intending to teach both levels can appear for both papers.
Official Departmental Directory
| Resource | Official Access |
|---|---|
| CTET Official Portal | Visit CTET Portal |
| CBSE Official Website | Visit CBSE Website |
| NCTE Website | Check NCTE Requirements |
Editorial Integrity Disclaimer
This CTET September 2026 guide has been prepared from the official CBSE notices and Information Bulletin supplied for this article. The latest verified examination date is 12–13 December 2026; candidates should check the official CTET portal for any subsequent corrigendum, examination-city notice, admit-card update or other official change before taking action.
