CTET 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit and Qualification

The CTET 2026 eligibility criteria are prescribed by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in accordance with the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) guidelines for candidates aiming to teach in central government schools. The requirements include educational qualifications, age limits, nationality, and category-wise relaxations, with minor variations between Paper 1 for Classes I to V and Paper 2 for Classes VI to VIII. Applicants must fulfill the prescribed conditions to be eligible for the February 2026 session, and the application process is currently open as per the latest notifications.

CTET 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Paper 1 Eligibility (Primary Stage)

• Candidates aiming to teach Classes I to V must have passed Senior Secondary or equivalent with at least 50% marks along with a recognised teacher training qualification.
• Eligible teacher training options include a 2 year Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed), a 4 year Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed), or a 2 year Diploma in Education (Special Education), either completed or in the final year.
• Graduation with a minimum of 50% marks along with a 1 year B.Ed or equivalent special education programme is also acceptable.
• A relaxation of 5% in qualifying marks, reducing the requirement to 45%, is applicable for SC, ST, OBC and Differently Abled candidates.
• Candidates pursuing any NCTE or RCI recognised teacher education course are eligible to appear for CTET.
• There is no upper age limit for CTET, but applicants must be at least 17 years old.

CTET 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Paper 2 Eligibility (Upper Primary Stage)

• For teaching Classes VI to VIII, candidates must hold a graduation degree with at least 50% marks along with a 2 year D.El.Ed or a 1 year B.Ed.
• Other eligible routes include post graduation with a minimum of 55% marks and an integrated B.Ed M.Ed programme, or approved special education diplomas.
• Candidates with Senior Secondary qualification and at least 50% marks along with a 4 year B.A.Ed, B.Sc.Ed, B.A B.Sc.Ed are also eligible.
• Reserved category candidates are entitled to a 5% relaxation in the minimum qualifying marks.
• Applicants must choose subject specific eligibility for Mathematics and Science or Social Studies as per their teaching preference.
• Candidates appearing in the final year of any eligible teacher education course can also apply for CTET.

CTET 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit and Attempts

• There is no upper age limit for CTET, allowing candidates to appear multiple times until they qualify.

• The minimum age is generally 18 years as of the exam date, although some sources indicate that candidates aged 17 and above can enroll.

• Candidates are allowed unlimited attempts for the CTET examination.

• The CTET certificate has lifetime validity following the policy change introduced in 2021.

• Indian citizens are preferred for eligibility, while candidates of other nationalities must fulfill NCTE prescribed conditions.

CTET 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Qualifying Marks and Reservation

• Candidates from the General and EWS categories must secure at least 60% aggregate marks to qualify.

• Candidates belonging to SC, ST, OBC, and PwD categories receive a 5% relaxation, requiring 55% aggregate marks.

Category-wise Qualifying Percentage

• General and EWS: 60%

• SC, ST, OBC, PwD: 55%

CTET 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Additional Details

• There is no negative marking in the examination.

• The obtained score determines eligibility for teaching jobs in institutions such as KVS and NVS.

CTET 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Nationality and Other Criteria

• Indian nationality is mandatory for most applicants.

• Foreign nationals must obtain prior approval from NCTE.

• Physical fitness requirements are not explicitly mentioned.

• Candidates are expected to meet standard teacher eligibility norms.

CTET 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Changes for 2026

• The exam pattern is aligned with NCFSE 2023 guidelines.

• Greater emphasis on competency based questions.

• Increased focus on pedagogy and teaching aptitude.

• Core eligibility criteria remain the same as previous years.

• Candidates should regularly check ctet.nic.in for the official notification and updates.