Teaching Eligibility Exams

What a teaching eligibility test does

A TET qualifies you to be considered for teaching posts — it establishes that you meet the required standard to apply. It is not a recruitment examination. Vacancies are filled through a separate process run by the school, the state or the relevant authority, and qualifying confers no right to appointment.

Central and state tests cover different schools

CTET applies to Central Government schools — KVS, NVS, Central Tibetan Schools — and to schools in several Union Territories, and unaided private schools may choose to consider it. Each state runs its own TET for its own schools, with its own syllabus, eligibility and language requirements.

The 60% rule, and where certificates now last for life

Under the NCTE notification of 11 February 2011, a candidate scoring 60% or more is considered TET pass, with school managements free to give concessions to reserved categories under their own policy. CTET certificates are now valid for life, with no limit on attempts, and a qualified candidate may sit again purely to improve their score.

Language requirements decide where you can teach

Most teaching tests require proficiency in the language of instruction, and several require you to choose two languages at application. Choose the state and the language pairing on what you can actually write, not on vacancy count alone.