CTET Syllabus PDF 2026 – Complete Paper 1 & Paper 2 Syllabus, Exam Pattern

The CTET Syllabus 2026 is essential for candidates preparing for the Central Teacher Eligibility Test. The exam is conducted by CBSE and will be held in offline mode.

CTET is a national-level teacher eligibility exam conducted to recruit teachers for Classes 1 to 8 in central government schools.

Understanding the latest CTET exam pattern, marking scheme, and subject-wise syllabus helps candidates plan their preparation strategy effectively.

---

CTET Exam Pattern 2026 – Overview

As per the CTET official Notification, Exam Pattern details:

• Mode of Exam: Offline (OMR-based)

• Total Questions: 150 MCQs

• Total Marks: 150

• Duration: 2.5 Hours

• Marking Scheme: 1 mark for each correct answer

• Negative Marking: No

CTET 2026 Exam Pattern in Detail: Click Here

CTET Paper Structure

---

CTET Paper 1 Syllabus 2026 (Primary Stage)

Paper 1 is for candidates who want to become teachers for Classes 1 to 5.

CTET Paper 1 Syllabus PDF: Click Here

Paper 1 Subjects & Marks

Subjects	Syllabus	Number of Questions
Child Development and Pedagogy Syllabus	a) Child Development (Primary School Child): 15 Questions Concept of development and its relationship with learning Principles of the development of children Influence of Heredity & Environment Socialization processes: Social world & children (Teacher, Parents, Peers) Piaget, Kohlberg and Vygotsky: constructs and critical perspectives Concepts of child-centred and progressive education Critical perspective of the construct of Intelligence Multi-Dimensional Intelligence Language & Thought Gender as a social construct; gender roles, gender-bias and educational practice Individual differences among learners, understanding differences based on diversity of language, caste, gender, community, religion etc. The distinction between Assessment for learning and assessment of learning; School-Based Assessment, Continuous & Comprehensive Evaluation: perspective and practice Formulating appropriate questions for assessing readiness levels of learners; for enhancing learning and critical thinking in the classroom and for assessing learner achievement. b) Concept of Inclusive education and understanding children with special needs: 5 Questions Addressing learners from diverse backgrounds including disadvantaged and deprived Addressing the needs of children with learning difficulties, ‘impairment’ etc. Addressing the Talented, Creative, Specially abled Learners c) Learning and Pedagogy: 10 Questions How children think and learn; how and why children ‘fail’ to achieve success in school performance. Basic processes of teaching and learning; children’s strategies of learning; learning as a social activity; social context of learning. Child as a problem solver and a ‘scientific investigator’ Alternative conceptions of learning in children, understanding children’s ‘errors’ as significant steps in the learning process. Cognition & Emotions Motivation and learning Factors contributing to learning – personal & environmental	(30 questions)
Language I Syllabus	a) Language Comprehension: 15 Questions Reading unseen passages – two passages one prose or drama and one poem with questions on comprehension, inference, grammar and verbal ability (Prose passage may be literary, scientific, narrative or discursive) b) Pedagogy of Language Development: 15 Questions Learning and acquisition Principles of language Teaching Role of listening and speaking; function of language and how children use it as a tool A critical perspective on the role of grammar in learning a language for communicating ideas verbally and in written form Challenges of teaching language in a diverse classroom; language difficulties, errors and disorders Language Skills Evaluating language comprehension and proficiency: speaking, listening, reading and writing Teaching-learning materials: Textbook, multi-media materials, multilingual resource of the classroom Remedial Teaching	(30 Questions)
Language II Syllabus	a) Comprehension: 15 Questions Two unseen prose passages (discursive or literary or narrative or scientific) with questions on comprehension, grammar and verbal ability b) Pedagogy of Language Development: 15 Questions Learning and acquisition Principles of language Teaching Role of listening and speaking; function of language and how children use it as a tool A critical perspective on the role of grammar in learning a language for communicating ideas verbally and in written form; Challenges of teaching language in a diverse classroom; language difficulties, errors and disorders Language Skills Evaluating language comprehension and proficiency: speaking, listening, reading and writing Teaching-learning materials: Textbook, multi-media materials, multilingual resource of the classroom Remedial Teaching	(30 Questions)
Mathematics Syllabus	a) Content: 15 Questions Geometry Shapes & Spatial Understanding Solids around Us Numbers Addition and Subtraction Multiplication Division Measurement Weight Time Volume Data Handling Patterns Money b) Pedagogical issues: 15 Questions Nature of Mathematics/Logical thinking; understanding children’s thinking and reasoning patterns and strategies of making meaning and learning Place of Mathematics in Curriculum Language of Mathematics Community Mathematics Valuation through formal and informal methods Problems of Teaching Error analysis and related aspects of learning and teaching Diagnostic and Remedial Teaching	(30 Questions)
Environmental Studies Syllabus	a) Content: 15 Questions I. Family and Friends: Relationships Work and Play Animals Plants II. Food III. Shelter IV. Water V. Travel VI. Things We Make and Do b) Pedagogical Issues: 15 Questions Concept and scope of EVS Significance of EVS, integrated EVS Environmental Studies & Environmental Education Learning Principles Scope & relation to Science & Social Science Approaches of presenting concepts Activities Experimentation/Practical Work Discussion CCE Teaching material/Aids Problems	(30 Questi ons)

Previous Year Question Papers with Solutions: Click Here

CTET Paper 2 Syllabus 2026 (Elementary Stage)

Paper 2 is for candidates aiming to teach Classes 6 to 8

CTET Paper 2 Syllabus PDF: Click Here

Paper 2 Subjects & Marks

Subjects	Topics	Number of Questions
Language 1	Reading unseen passages- two passages one prose or drama and one poem with questions on comprehension Inference Grammar Verbal Ability Pedagogy of Language Development Role of listening and speaking; function of language and how children use it as a tool A critical perspective on the role of grammar in learning a language for communicating ideas verbally and in written form; Challenges of teaching language in a diverse classroom; language difficulties, errors and disorders Learning and acquisition Principles of language Teaching Language Skills Evaluating language comprehension and proficiency: speaking, listening, reading and writing Teaching-learning materials: Textbook, multi-media materials, multilingual resources of the classroom Remedial Teaching	(30 Questions)
Language 2	Reading unseen passages two passages one prose or drama and one poem with questions on comprehension Inference Grammar Verbal AbilityPedagogy of Language Development

• Learning and acquisition
• Principles of language Teaching
• Role of listening and speaking; function of language and how children use it as a tool
• A critical perspective on the role of grammar in learning a language for communicating ideas verbally and in written form; Challenges of teaching language in a diverse classroom; language difficulties, errors and disorders
• Language Skills
• Evaluating language comprehension and proficiency: speaking, listening, reading and writing
• Teaching-learning materials: Textbook, multi-media materials, multilingual resource of the classroom
• Remedial Teaching

(30 Questions)

Child Development(Elementary School Child)

• Distinction between Assessment for learning and assessment of learning; School-Based Assessment, Continuous & Comprehensive Evaluation: perspective and practice
• Socialization processes: Social world &children(Teacher, Parents, Peers)
• Piaget, Kohlberg and Vygotsky: constructs and critical perspectives
• Concepts of child-centered and progressive education
• Critical perspective of the construct of Intelligence
• Multi-Dimensional Intelligence
• Language & Thought
• Concept of development and its relationship with learning
• Principles of the development of children
• Influence of Heredity & Environment
• Gender as a social construct; gender roles, gender-bias and educational practice
• Individual differences among learners, understanding differences based on diversity of language, caste, gender, community, religion etc.
• Formulating appropriate questions for assessing readiness levels of learners, for enhancing learning and critical thinking in the classroom and for assessing learner achievement
• Socialization processes: Social world &children(Teacher, Parents, Peers)
• Piaget, Kohlberg and Vygotsky: constructs and critical perspectives
• Concepts of child-centered and progressive education

15 QuestionsConcept of Inclusive education and understanding children with special needs

• Addressing the needs of children with learning difficulties, “impairment,‟ etc.
• Addressing the Talented, Creative, and Special-Abled Learners
• Addressing learners from diverse backgrounds ,including disadvantaged and deprived

(5 Questions)Learning and Pedagogy

• Alternative conceptions of learning in children, understanding children’s “errors‟ as significant steps in the learning process.
• How children think and learn; how and why children„ fail‟ to achieve success in school performance.
• Factors contributing to learning-personal & environmental
• Child as a problem solve rand a “scientific investigator‟
• Basic processes of teaching and learning; children’s strategies of learning; learning as a social activity; social context of learning.
• Cognition & Emotions
• Motivation and learning

(10 Questions)Mathematics -Content

• Number System- Knowing our Numbers, Playing with Numbers, Whole Numbers, Negative Numbers and, Integers
• Fractions
• Algebra: Introduction to Algebra, Ratio and Proportion
• Geometry- Basic geometrical ideas (2-D), Understanding Elementary Shapes (2-D and 3-D) Symmetry: (reflection)
• Construction (using Straight edge Scale, protractor, compasses)
• Mensuration
• Data handling

Pedagogical Issues  (10 Questions)

• Place of Mathematics in Curriculum
• Language of Mathematics
• Community Mathematics
• Nature of Mathematics/Logical Thinking
• Evaluation
• Remedial Teaching
• Problem of Teaching

(30 Questions)Science 

 Content (20 questions)

• Materials of daily use
• The World of the Living
• Moving Things People and Ideas
• How things work
• Food
• Sources of food
• Components of food
• Cleaning food
• Materials
• Electric current and circuits
• Magnets
• Natural Phenomena
• Natural Resources

Pedagogical Issues (10 Questions)

• Nature & Structure of Sciences
• Innovation
• Text Material/Aids
• Evaluation – cognitive/psychomotor/affective
• Problems
• Remedial Teaching
• Natural Science/Aims & objectives
• Understanding & Appreciating Science
• Approaches/Integrated Approach
• Observation/Experiment/Discovery (Method of Science)

(30 questions)Social Studies/Social Sciences 

History

• When, Where and How
• The Earliest Societies
• The First Farmers and Herders
• The First Cities
• Early States
• New Ideas
• The First Empire
• Contacts with Distant lands
• Political Developments
• Culture and Science
• New Kings and Kingdoms
• Sultans of Delhi
• Architecture
• Creation of an Empir
• Social Change
• Regional Cultures
• The Establishment of Company Power
• Rural Life and Society
• Colonialism and Tribal Societies
• The Revolt of 1857-58
• Women and reform
• Challenging the Caste System
• The Nationalist Movement
• India After Independence

Geography 

• Globe
• Environment in its totality: natural and human environment, Air, Water
• Human Environment: settlement, transport and communication
• Resources: Types-Natural and Human
• Agriculture
• Geography as a social study and as a science
• Planet: Earth in the solar system

Social & Political Life

• Diversity
• Government
• Local Government
• Making a Living
• Democracy
• State Government
• Understanding Media
• Unpacking Gender
• The Constitution
• Parliamentary Government
• The Judiciary
• Social Justice and the Marginalised

Pedagogical Issues

• Concept & Nature of Social Science/Social Studies
• Class Room Processes, activities and discourse
• Developing Critical thinking
• Inquiry/Empirical Evidence
• Problems of teaching Social Science/Social Studies
• Sources – Primary & Secondary
• Projects Work
• Evaluation

(60 Questions)

CTET Minimum Qualifying Marks 2026

The minimum qualifying marks are:

There is no negative marking.

FAQs – CTET Syllabus 2026

Q. What is the total number of questions in CTET 2026?

Ans. CTET 2026 consists of 150 multiple-choice questions in each paper.

Q. Is there negative marking in CTET exam?

Ans. No, there is no negative marking for incorrect answers in CTET.

Q. What is the duration of CTET exam?

Ans. The CTET exam duration is 2.5 hours for both Paper 1 and Paper 2.

Q. What are the qualifying marks for CTET?

Ans. General category candidates must score 60% (90 marks), while reserved categories require 55% (82 marks).