KTET 2026 - Kerala TET Notification, Eligibility, Exam Date

KTET — the Kerala Teacher Eligibility Test — is conducted by the Office of the Commissioner for Government Examinations (Pareeksha Bhavan), Kerala, as the eligibility test for teaching posts in the state's schools. Unlike most state TETs it is held in four categories, one for each level of teaching:

• Category I — Lower Primary (LP) teacher.
• Category II — Upper Primary (UP) teacher.
• Category III — High School teacher.
• Category IV — Language teachers (Arabic, Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu), specialist teachers and physical education teachers.

A candidate appears in the category that matches the level and subject they intend to teach, and may appear in more than one.

KTET 2026 exam dates

The KTET February 2026 session was held on 8 and 9 August 2026, and its result has been published. The next session, KTET September 2026, is scheduled for 14 November 2026 (Category I and II) and 15 November 2026 (Category III and IV); online registration runs from 23 September to 9 October 2026 (extended), and hall tickets are due on 4 November 2026. The category-wise timetable, admit card and centre details are published on ktet.kerala.gov.in.

Exam pattern

Each category is a single paper of 150 multiple-choice questions for 150 marks, over 2 hours 30 minutes, with no negative marking.

Fee

Qualifying marks

KTET qualifies you to apply — it does not appoint you

KTET is only an eligibility test; it carries no rank list and does not by itself confer a right to appointment. The qualifying certificate establishes eligibility for teacher recruitment in Kerala, which is done through a separate process.

KTET Eligibility

KTET eligibility follows the NCTE framework and the Kerala rules, and depends on the category you appear in. Only teacher-training qualifications recognised by the NCTE — or, for special education, by the Rehabilitation Council of India — are accepted. Detailed, subject-wise qualifications are set out in the KTET notification.

Category I — Lower Primary teacher

Higher Secondary (or equivalent) with at least 50% marks and a recognised teacher-training qualification for the primary level — Teacher Training Certificate (TTC) / D.El.Ed. or equivalent, completed or being pursued.

Category II — Upper Primary teacher

A relevant graduation together with a recognised elementary teacher-training qualification (D.El.Ed. / TTC), or graduation with at least 50% marks and a B.Ed. / B.El.Ed., as prescribed by the NCTE for the upper-primary level.

Category III — High School teacher

A Bachelor's degree in the relevant subject with at least 50% marks and a B.Ed. in that subject, as recognised by the NCTE.

Category IV — Language and specialist teachers

The qualification prescribed for the language (Arabic, Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu) or specialism (physical education, art, and other specialist subjects) concerned, together with the recognised teacher-training qualification for that subject.

Relaxation in the minimum marks for reserved categories is as notified. Confirm your own qualification, subject by subject, against the KTET notification before applying.

KTET Application Form

The KTET September 2026 application is submitted online at ktet.kerala.gov.in, from 23 September to 9 October 2026 (extended). A candidate applies for each category separately, in the category that matches the level and subject they intend to teach.

Fee

How to apply

1. Read the KTET notification on ktet.kerala.gov.in and confirm your eligibility for the category you intend to sit.
2. Register on the portal, fill the application and upload the photograph and signature in the prescribed format.
3. Pay the fee online for each category applied for, and save the confirmation.

The KTET notification, category-wise syllabus and model question papers are available on the official website and as free PDFs on this site.