CTET Eligibility Criteria 2024: Age Limit & Educational Qualifications

Quick Summary:

• To be eligible for the CTET exam, candidates must meet different criteria for Paper 1 and Paper 2. For Paper 1 (Primary Stage: Classes I to V), candidates need to have passed the 12th grade with at least 50% marks and hold a Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) or an equivalent qualification.
• For Paper 2 (Elementary Stage: Classes VI to VIII), candidates should be graduates with at least 50% marks and have a B.Ed degree or an equivalent qualification.
• Candidates can take the CTET as many times as needed, which allows them to retake the exam to improve their scores.

Latest CTET Eligibility Criteria

Qualifying for the CTET 2024 (Central Teacher Eligibility Test) is essential for aspiring teachers planning to build a career in education. Understanding the eligibility criteria for both the primary and upper primary levels is crucial, especially since significant changes have been made to the CTET requirements.

Regarding age restrictions, there is no upper age limit for candidates applying for CTET 2024. However, candidates must meet the minimum age requirement of 18 years to be eligible for the exam.

Candidates aiming to teach at the primary level (Class I-V) must have completed or be in the final year of a Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) or hold a B.Ed or equivalent qualification. For the upper primary level (Class VI-VIII), candidates should have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree with at least 50% marks and a B.Ed or be in the final year of their B.Ed program.

The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) now considers candidates enrolled in a Teacher Training Course (TTC) as “pursuing” and eligible to apply for the CTET exam. However, passing the CTET is required but does not guarantee recruitment; final eligibility will be verified by the relevant authority, such as Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti or Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan.

Read More: Subject-wise CTET Syllabus for Paper 1 & Paper 2

CTET Eligibility: Highlights

Here are the major highlights of the CTET eligibility:

CTET Exam 2024	Important Details
Conducted by	CBSE
Level of Exam	National
Number of times conducted in a year	Twice
Fees	OBC / General – Rs. 1000/- per paper SC/ST or Physically challenged – Rs. 500 for Paper 1 (if paid individually) and Rs. 600 for Paper 1 & Paper 2 (If paid together)
Application mode	Online
Exam mode	Online
Official website	https://ctet.nic.in/

How to fill CTET online form 2024?

• Visit the official website- ctet.nic.in
• Click on the ‘Apply for CTET Dec 2024’ link.
• Click on ‘New Registration’.
• Go through the details, click on acknowledgement and proceed.
• Register by filling in the required details.
• Fill out the application form- personal information, contact details and educational details.
• Upload the documents required like photograph and signature.
• Pay the CTET application fee.
• Submit and save the confirmation page.

CTET Eligibility: Age Limit and Nationality

Candidates must be Indian citizens to be considered for the CTET 2024 exam. The CTET eligibility says that the exam has no minimum age limit. Students can retake the exam as often as possible to raise their CTET scores.

Check out the nationality and age limit criteria below:

• Applicants for CTET must attain an age of at least 18 years.
• CTET exam has no maximum age, i.e., aspirants of any age can apply.
• Students applying for the exam this year must be Indian citizens.

Read More: Top CTET Books 2024 for Successful Preparation (Paper 1 & 2)

CTET December 2024 Eligibility: Reservation Criteria

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has rescheduled the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) December 2024 exam. Originally set for December 1, 2024, the exam will now be held on December 15, 2024, due to administrative reasons

For the General category, Candidates who score 60% marks in the examination will be considered qualified. There will be a 5% relaxation of the qualifying marks in the minimum Educational Qualification for you if you belong to SC/ST/OBC/Person with Disabilities category.

There is no negative marking for a wrong attempted question. 

17 Sep ’24 – 16 Oct ’24	CTET Application Dates
21 Oct ’24 – 25 Oct ’24	CTET Form Correction
15 Dec ’24	CTET 2024 Exam Date

CTET Eligibility: Educational Qualifications

For the December session of CTET 2024, CBSE has introduced an additional eligibility criterion. Candidates with a Postgraduate degree and a minimum of 55% marks who have also completed a three-year integrated B.Ed.-M.Ed. program from an NCTE-recognized university are eligible to apply. These candidates will be considered for teaching positions in Grades 1 to 5. However, it is required that they complete a six-month Elementary Education Bridge Course within two years of their employment as teachers.

CTET Educational Qualification for Paper 1 (Primary Level)

Here are the details for the required Paper 1 qualifications for CTET:

• Senior Secondary (or equivalent) with at least 50% marks and passed or appearing in the final year of a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education or a 4-year Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed).
• Senior Secondary (or equivalent) with at least 45% marks and passed or appearing in the final year of a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education, following NCTE regulations.
• Senior Secondary (or equivalent) with at least 50% marks and passed or appearing in the final year of a 2-year Diploma in Education (Special Education).
• Graduation with at least 50% marks and a B.Ed. qualification. Candidates in this category must enroll in a six-month Bridge Course in Elementary Education, approved by the NCTE, within two years of their appointment as primary teachers.
• Additionally, Postgraduate candidates who have completed a three-year integrated B.Ed.-M.Ed. program with at least 55% marks or an equivalent grade are also eligible.

CTET Educational Qualification for Paper 2 (Upper Primary Level)

Here are the details for the required Paper 2 qualifications for CTET:

• B.A./B.Sc. Ed. or B.A. Ed./B.Sc. Ed. with at least 50% marks, and passed or appearing in the final year of a four-year degree in Elementary Education (B.El.Ed).
• Graduation with at least 50% marks and passing or appearing in the final year of a two-year Diploma in Elementary Education.
• Graduation with at least 50% marks and a one-year Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) or B.Ed (Special Education) degree. For this category, candidates must have at least 50% marks in their B.Ed program.
• Graduation with at least 45% marks and passing or appearing in a one-year Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) program, following NCTE (Recognition Norms and Procedure) guidelines.
• Candidates who have completed a B.Ed program recognized by the NCTE are eligible to apply for CTET.
• Postgraduate candidates who have completed a three-year integrated B.Ed.-M.Ed. program with at least 55% marks or an equivalent grade are also eligible.

Read More: CTET Application Form 2024: Key Dates, Eligibility, Documents Required and Latest Notification

CTET Eligibility: Reservation Criteria

Candidates who meet the minimum score requirement as per CTET eligibility are considered qualified. General category candidates must score at least 60% of the total marks to qualify. For reserved categories, including Scheduled Tribe (ST), Scheduled Caste (SC), Other Backward Class (OBC), and Differently Abled, there is a 5% relaxation, meaning these candidates need to score at least 55%.

General category candidates scoring 60% or more will be deemed qualified. Additionally, there is no negative marking for incorrect answers, which benefits all candidates.

Category	Cut-Off score
For General	90 marks
Other Reserved Category	82 marks

CTET Eligibility: Number of Attempts

The CTET eligibility is relatively flexible compared to other exams, with the key advantage being the lack of restrictions on the number of attempts. Candidates can take the CTET as many times as needed, which allows them to retake the exam to improve their scores if desired. This flexibility is beneficial, especially for candidates aiming to enhance their performance and secure a higher score.

Read More: CTET Previous Years’ Question Papers

CTET Eligibility: Points to Remember

Students should thoroughly review the CTET eligibility criteria, including age limits and category requirements, before applying. It is the responsibility of the recruiting authority to verify the applicant’s eligibility. Candidates must ensure they meet all eligibility requirements to avoid personal liability. This article has addressed the key points of the CTET exam eligibility comprehensively.

CTET Eligibility: FAQs