After a delayed registration process for the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET ), the CBSE finally started it on November 27, 2025. The last date for sending an application is December 18, 2025, at 11:59 PM. The examination will take place on February 8, 2026, in 132 cities all over India. The test will be held in 20 languages. The CBSE is conducting the CTET exam in two different papers: Paper I for candidates who want to be teachers of classes 1 to 5, and Paper II for those who want to become teachers of standard 6 to 8. Candidates are to be given the test offline in an OMR manner. Questions in the CTET Exam will be of objective type only and each question will carry 1 mark, and there will be no provision for negative marking, hence, candidates can answer all questions without the fear of incurring any penalty.
During the application process, candidates have to be very careful that they fill out the form online on the official website ctet.nic.in. They need to enter their personal and academic details, upload the documents, and pay the prescribed fee. Walk through the eligibility criteria before submitting the application form. Partial and irregular submission can lead to a scrapped application form.
CTET February 2026: Important Dates and Events
Events
Time/Duration
Duration of online application
27.11.2025 to 18.12.2025
Last date for submission of online application
18.12.2025 (Before 11:59 PM)
Last date for submission of fee
18.12.2025 (Before 11:59 PM)
Date of examination
08th February, 2026 (Sunday)
Date of exam
08.02.2026
Time (Morning)
09:30 AM to 12:00 NOON
Time (Evening)
02:30 PM to 05:00 PM
CTET February 2026: Paper-Wise Eligibility
Paper I Eligibility (Classes 1-5): The qualifying criteria are a Senior Secondary School Certificate with 50% marks, along with a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education, or an equivalent qualification such as a 4-year B.El.Ed, 2-year Diploma in Special Education, or a Graduation with 50% and B.Ed as per NCTE standards. The minimum age is 18 years, and there is no maximum age limit.
Paper II Eligibility (Classes 6-8): They should hold a graduation degree with the required minimum marks and a B.Ed. degree, either completed or in the final year. The age limit is of above 18 with no upper age limit. The paper consists of multiple-choice questions, each carrying one mark, and there is no provision for negative marking. The languages in which the paper can be attempted are many, and the candidate can choose one while filling up the application form.
CTET February 2026: Application Fees Structure
The application fee for the CTET February 2026 session is different for each category and also depends on a candidate's choice of the number of papers. A person belonging to the General and OBC (NCL) categories is required to pay INR 1000 if he or she submits the application for only one of the two papers (i.e., Paper I or Paper II) and INR 1200 if he or she decides to take both the tests.
An applicant from the SC, ST, and Differently Abled categories is required to pay the fee of INR 500 if he or she takes only one paper (either Paper I or II) and INR 600 if he or she takes both Paper I and II. These amounts do not include the applicable GST and any additional bank charges that may be imposed for online payment.
Category
Only Paper I or II
Both Paper I & II
General / OBC (NCL)
INR 1000/-
INR 1200/-
SC / ST / Differently Abled
INR 500/-
INR 600/-
CTET February 2026: Steps To Apply
The steps to apply for the CTET February 2026 examination are as follows:
Step 1: Visit the official CTET website @ https://ctet.nic.in and login using your credentials.
Step 2: Navigate to the Homepage and then click on ‘Online Application’.
Step 3: Provide all the necessary information and fill out the form and take a note of the Registration No./Application No.
Step 4: Upload a copy of the recent passport size photograph and signature.
Step 5: Complete the application form by paying the required application fee.
