CTET Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2025

The Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) is conducted by CBSE for teaching positions in classes I to VIII in central government schools. This examination tests subject knowledge, child psychology, and pedagogical skills.

This guide provides comprehensive information about CTET 2025 syllabus, exam pattern, and preparation strategies in an organized table format.

CTET Overview

Aspect	Details
Full Form	Central Teacher Eligibility Test
Conducting Body	Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
Purpose	Eligibility for teaching in classes I-VIII
Exam Mode	Offline (Pen and Paper Based)
Frequency	Twice a year (varies – typically July/August and December)
Official Website	ctet.nic.in
Application Mode	Online only
Certificate Validity	Lifetime validity from 2011 onwards
Attempt Limit	No restriction on attempts

Exam Pattern

Paper	Target Classes	Duration	Maximum Marks	Total Questions	Question Type
Paper I	Classes I to V (Primary)	2 hours 30 minutes	150	150	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Paper II	Classes VI to VIII (Elementary)	2 hours 30 minutes	150	150	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Key Exam Features

Feature	Details
Question Type	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) with 4 options
Marks per Question	1 mark each
Negative Marking	No negative marking
Language Options	Hindi, English, Urdu (except for language papers)
Qualifying Percentage	60% (90 marks out of 150)
Exam Mode	Offline (Pen and Paper Based)
Accessibility	Available in multiple languages

CTET Syllabus 2025

The Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET), conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), is a national-level exam to certify candidates for teaching Classes I to VIII in government schools.

Held twice a year, it consists of Paper 1 (Classes I-V) and Paper 2 (Classes VI-VIII). Both papers are offline, with 150 multiple-choice questions (MCQs), 150 marks, and a 2.5-hour duration, with no negative marking.

Paper 1: Primary Stage (Classes I to V)

For teaching Classes I to V, focusing on foundational concepts and teaching methods. Total: 150 questions, 150 marks, 2.5 hours.

Child Development and Pedagogy (30 Questions, 30 Marks)

• Child Development (Primary School Child) (15 Questions):
  • Understanding how children develop and learn.
  • Principles of child development.
  • Influence of heredity and environment.
  • Socialization (interactions with teachers, parents, peers).
  • Theories by Piaget, Kohlberg, and Vygotsky.
  • Child-centered and progressive education concepts.
  • Perspectives on intelligence and multi-dimensional intelligence.
  • Language and thought development.
  • Gender as a social construct, including roles, bias, and educational practices.
  • Individual differences (language, caste, gender, community, religion).
  • Assessment for learning vs. assessment of learning.
  • School-based assessment and continuous evaluation.
  • Questions to assess readiness, learning, and critical thinking.
• Inclusive Education and Special Needs (5 Questions):
  • Supporting diverse learners (disadvantaged, deprived).
  • Addressing learning difficulties or impairments.
  • Encouraging talented, creative, and specially-abled students.
• Learning and Pedagogy (10 Questions):
  • How children think, learn, and reasons for academic struggles.
  • Teaching and learning processes.
  • Learning as a social activity and children’s strategies.
  • Children as problem solvers and scientific investigators.
  • Viewing errors as part of learning.
  • Role of cognition, emotions, and motivation in learning.
  • Personal and environmental factors affecting learning.

Language I (30 Questions, 30 Marks)

• Language Comprehension (15 Questions):
  • Two unseen passages (one prose/drama, one poem).
  • Questions on comprehension, inference, grammar, and verbal ability.
  • Tests proficiency in the chosen language (e.g., Hindi, English, or regional languages).
• Pedagogy of Language Development (15 Questions):
  • Principles of language teaching and acquisition.
  • Role of listening and speaking in language learning.
  • Language as a communication tool.
  • Importance of grammar in verbal and written communication.
  • Challenges in diverse classrooms (language difficulties, errors, disorders).
  • Evaluating skills: speaking, listening, reading, writing.
  • Using textbooks, multimedia, and multilingual resources.
  • Remedial teaching strategies.

Language II (30 Questions, 30 Marks)

• Comprehension (15 Questions):
  • Two unseen prose passages (discursive, literary, narrative, or scientific).
  • Questions on comprehension, grammar, and verbal ability.
  • Tests proficiency in a second language (distinct from Language I).
• Pedagogy of Language Development (15 Questions):
  • Same as Language I, tailored to the second language.

Mathematics (30 Questions, 30 Marks)

Sub-Section	Topics	Questions	Marks
Content	Geometry, shapes, spatial understanding, solids, numbers, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, measurement, weight, time, volume, data handling, patterns, money.	15	15
Pedagogical Issues	Nature of mathematical thinking, understanding children’s reasoning, meaning-making strategies, curriculum role, language of mathematics, community mathematics, formal/informal evaluation, teaching challenges, error analysis, diagnostic/remedial teaching.	15	15

Environmental Studies (30 Questions, 30 Marks)

Sub-Section	Topics	Questions	Marks
Content	Family and friends (relationships, work, play, animals, plants), food, shelter, water, travel, things we make and do.	15	15
Pedagogical Issues	EVS scope, significance, integration, environmental education, learning principles, relation to science/social science, concept presentation, activities, practical work, discussion, continuous evaluation, teaching materials, problems.	15	15

Notes:

• Based on NCERT syllabus for Classes I to V, difficulty up to secondary level.
• Language I: Medium of instruction; Language II: Second language.

Paper 2: Elementary Stage (Classes VI to VIII)

For teaching Classes VI to VIII, emphasizing subject-specific knowledge. Total: 150 questions, 150 marks, 2.5 hours.

Child Development and Pedagogy (30 Questions, 30 Marks)

• Child Development (Elementary School Child) (15 Questions):
  • Same as Paper 1, focused on ages 11-14, including adolescent psychology.
• Inclusive Education and Special Needs (5 Questions):
  • Same as Paper 1, tailored to older students.
• Learning and Pedagogy (10 Questions):
  • Same as Paper 1, emphasizing higher-order thinking and adolescent learning.

Language I (30 Questions, 30 Marks)

• Same as Paper 1, testing proficiency in the medium of instruction.

Language II (30 Questions, 30 Marks)

• Same as Paper 1, testing proficiency in a second language.

Mathematics and Science (Option A) (60 Questions, 60 Marks)

Sub-Section	Topics	Questions	Marks
Mathematics – Content	Number system (whole numbers, negative numbers, integers, fractions), algebra (introduction, ratio, proportion), geometry (2D/3D shapes, symmetry, construction), mensuration, data handling.	20	20
Mathematics – Pedagogical Issues	Mathematical thinking, curriculum role, language of mathematics, community mathematics, evaluation, remedial teaching, teaching challenges.	10	10
Science – Content	Food (sources, components, cleaning), materials (daily use), world of the living, moving things/people/ideas, how things work (electric current, circuits, magnets), natural phenomena, natural resources.	20	20
Science – Pedagogical Issues	Nature/structure of sciences, aims, understanding science, integrated approach, observation/experiment/discovery, innovation, text materials, evaluation (cognitive, psychomotor, affective), problems, remedial teaching.	10	10

Social Studies/Social Science (Option B) (60 Questions, 60 Marks)

Sub-Section	Questions	Marks
Content	40	40
Pedagogical Issues	20	20

• Content (40 Questions):
  • History: Early societies, farmers, herders, first cities, early states, empires, distant contacts, political developments, culture, science, new kings, sultans, architecture, empire creation, social change, regional cultures, company power, rural/tribal societies, 1857-58 revolt, women/reform, caste challenges, nationalist movement, post-independence India.
  • Geography: Geography as a discipline, Earth in the solar system, globe, natural/human environment, air, water, settlements, transport, communication, resources, agriculture.
  • Social and Political Life: Diversity, government, local/state government, democracy, media, gender, Constitution, parliamentary system, judiciary, social justice, marginalized communities.
• Pedagogical Issues (20 Questions):
  • Nature of social science/studies, classroom activities, critical thinking, enquiry/empirical evidence, teaching challenges, primary/secondary sources, project work, evaluation.

Notes:

• Choose Mathematics/Science or Social Studies based on teaching subject.
• Based on NCERT syllabus for Classes VI to VIII, difficulty up to senior secondary level.