What is CTET / TET?
The Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) is conducted by CBSE twice a year. It is mandatory for teaching in Central Government Schools (KVS, NVS, Army Schools). State-level TETs (UPTET, BTET, REET, MPTET, HTET, etc.) are conducted by respective state boards for state school teaching jobs.
Validity: TET certificate is valid for lifetime (changed from 7 years in 2021 by NCTE). Once you clear TET, the certificate never expires.
- Paper I — For teaching Classes 1 to 5 (Primary Level)
- Paper II — For teaching Classes 6 to 8 (Upper Primary Level)
- A candidate can appear for both papers in the same examination
- TET is a qualifying test — it does not guarantee a job, only makes you eligible
Paper I — Marks Distribution (Classes 1–5)
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Key Topics |
|---|
| Child Development & Pedagogy | 30 | 30 | Piaget, Vygotsky, NCF 2005, NEP 2020, Inclusive Ed |
| Language I (Hindi/English) | 30 | 30 | Comprehension, Grammar, Language Pedagogy |
| Language II (English/Hindi/Sanskrit) | 30 | 30 | Comprehension, Grammar, L2 Acquisition |
| Mathematics | 30 | 30 | Number System, Geometry, Measurement, Pedagogy |
| Environmental Studies (EVS) | 30 | 30 | Family, Animals, Plants, Food, Water, Travel |
| Total | 150 | 150 | |
💡 Strategy for Paper I: CDP + Language I + Language II alone = 90 marks (60% of the paper). Mastering these three sections guarantees a pass even with average performance in Maths and EVS.
Paper II — Marks Distribution (Classes 6–8)
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Key Topics |
|---|
| Child Development & Pedagogy | 30 | 30 | Same as Paper I — adolescent psychology added |
| Language I | 30 | 30 | Same structure as Paper I |
| Language II | 30 | 30 | Same structure as Paper I |
| Subject Specific (choose one) | 60 | 60 | Maths & Science OR Social Science OR any Language |
| Total | 150 | 150 | |
Subject Specific: If you choose Maths & Science — 30 Maths + 30 Science questions. If you choose Social Science — 60 questions covering History, Geography, Political Science, Economics.
12-Week Study Schedule
Assuming 3–4 hours of daily study. Adjust based on your existing knowledge.
Week 1–2
CDP Foundation Piaget's stages, Vygotsky ZPD, Kohlberg moral development, theories of intelligence. Do 20 practice MCQs daily.
Week 3
CDP Advanced NCF 2005, NEP 2020, Inclusive Education, RTE Act 2009, Assessment & Evaluation, Constructivism.
Week 4
Language I Pedagogy Language acquisition theories, Chomsky LAD, communicative approach, comprehension strategies, grammar pedagogy.
Week 5
Language II + Practice L2 acquisition, bilingualism, error correction, language assessment. Full-length Language section mock.
Week 6–7
Mathematics Number system, operations, fractions, geometry, measurement, data handling. Bruner CPA approach, Van Hiele model, maths-specific pedagogy.
Week 8
EVS / Science (Paper specific) Paper I: EVS topics. Paper II: Biology, Physics, Chemistry basics + science pedagogy (5E model, inquiry-based).
Week 9
Social Science (Paper II) History (NCERT 6–8), Geography basics, Political Science, Economics. Map-based questions and SS pedagogy.
Week 10
Revision + PYQ Solve 3 years of previous year papers. Identify weak areas. Target 2-mark improvement per day.
Week 11
Speed Practice 2 full mock tests this week. Focus on time management — you get 1 minute per question.
Week 12
Final Revision Quick-read all phase notes, formula cards, theory summaries. No new topics. Sleep 7+ hours before exam.
Daily Study Routine (4 Hours)
| Time Slot | Activity | Duration |
|---|
| Session 1 (Morning) | Read theory — one topic in depth | 1.5 hrs |
| Session 2 (Afternoon) | Solve 30–40 MCQs on today's topic | 45 min |
| Session 3 (Evening) | Review wrong answers; note key points | 45 min |
| Session 4 (Night) | Quick revision of previous day's notes | 1 hr |
Golden Rule: Consistency beats intensity. 3 hours daily for 12 weeks = 252 hours of focused preparation. That is enough to clear CTET comfortably if you revise regularly.