Teaching Exams: How They Work, Pattern, Subjects & Preparation
Government teaching jobs need two things: an eligibility certificate from a Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) such as CTET or a state TET, and success in a recruitment exam run by bodies like KVS, NVS, DSSSB or a state education department.
TETs check whether you meet the minimum standard to teach; recruitment exams decide who gets the job. Child development and pedagogy is the common thread — it appears in almost every teaching exam.
Conducted byCBSE (CTET), states, KVS, DSSSB
LevelsPRT, TGT, PGT
Negative markingNone in CTET
EligibilityD.El.Ed / B.Ed + graduation
How it works
How Teaching selection works, step by step
Qualify a TET
Clear CTET (for central schools) or your state TET. The CTET certificate is now valid for life.
Recruitment notification
KVS, NVS, DSSSB and state boards announce vacancies for primary (PRT), trained graduate (TGT) and post-graduate (PGT) teachers.
Written exam
Tests general awareness, reasoning, language, pedagogy and your teaching subject.
Interview / demo / skill test
Some recruitments include an interview or a teaching demonstration, especially for PGT posts.
Document verification
Degrees, B.Ed/D.El.Ed, TET certificate and category documents are verified before appointment.
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board recruit PRT, TGT and PGT teachers.
Written exams typically combine general awareness, reasoning, English and Hindi, computer literacy, perspectives on education and pedagogy, and a subject-specific section. KVS PGT and some posts include an interview. A valid TET is required for PRT and TGT posts.
Child Development & Pedagogy appears in every teaching exam. Master the major theories and their classroom applications first.
02Read NCERT textbooks of the classes you'll teach
CTET content questions come from NCERT books for classes 1–8. Pedagogy questions ask how to teach those same topics.
03Think like a teacher
Pedagogy answers favour child-centred, inclusive and activity-based choices. When in doubt, pick the option that helps the learner understand.
04No negative marking — attempt everything
CTET has no penalty for wrong answers, so never leave a question blank.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions about Teaching exams
How long is the CTET certificate valid?
The CTET certificate is valid for life (CBSE extended the validity from seven years to lifetime from 2021).
Is there negative marking in CTET?
No. CTET has no negative marking, so you should attempt every question.
What are the passing marks in CTET?
60% (90 out of 150) for the general category. Reserved categories may get relaxation as per the employing authority.
Can I take both Paper I and Paper II?
Yes. Candidates who want to teach classes 1–8 can appear for both papers in the same session.
Is CTET enough to get a government teaching job?
No. CTET is an eligibility test. You still need to clear a recruitment exam such as KVS, NVS or DSSSB.
Exam patterns, marks and eligibility are based on the latest notifications available and can change from one cycle to the next.
Always confirm the details in the official notification on
ctet.nic.in before you apply.
Practise for Teaching exams
Free full-length mock tests with an instant all-India rank.
