CBSE released the CTET syllabus for both papers with the September 2026 notification, and it hasn't changed since. Paper 1 and Paper 2 don't share the same subjects once you get past Child Development and Pedagogy, and picking the wrong focus early costs weeks you don't get back.
Quick Answer: The CTET syllabus covers Child Development & Pedagogy, Language I, and Language II in both papers, at 30 marks each. Paper 1 (Classes 1 to 5) adds Mathematics and Environmental Studies. Paper 2 (Classes 6 to 8) replaces those with either Mathematics & Science or Social Studies, based on which subject you want to teach. Each paper is 150 marks, 150 questions, no negative marking.
CTET Syllabus 2026 Subject-Wise Breakdown
Each of the CTET papers is built of five graded sections, with two of the sections merged into one subject-stream choice in Paper 2. CDP, Language I, and Language II find the same structure in both papers, the only changes being the levels of difficulty and the age groups.
CTET Paper 1 Syllabus: What's Tested for Classes 1 to 5
Paper 1 consists of five sections that are worth 30 marks each for a total of 150 marks. Candidates wishing to teach from Class 1 to Class 5 are required to take this paper.
Child Development and Pedagogy (30 Marks)
This carries the highest return on prep time since it repeats across both papers with only minor shifts.
| Part | Topics Covered | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| A. Child Development | Piaget, Vygotsky, and Kohlberg's theories; heredity vs. environment; socialisation; multi-dimensional intelligence; NCF 2005 and NEP 2020 | 15 |
| B. Inclusive Education | Learning disabilities including dyslexia and ADHD; addressing gifted and specially-abled learners; inclusive classroom strategies | 5 |
| C. Learning and Pedagogy | How children think and learn; the child as a problem-solver; cognition, emotion, and motivation in learning | 10 |
Most candidates treat this as memorization. It isn't. CTET tests whether you can apply a theory to a classroom scenario, not just name the theorist.
Language I and Language II (30 Marks Each)
Language I is the medium you'll actually teach in; Language II has to be a different language. Both sections share the same internal split.
| Part | Topics Covered | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehension | Unseen prose, drama, or poetry passages; grammar, inference, and verbal ability | 15 |
| Pedagogy of Language Development | Language acquisition; role of listening and speaking; teaching in a multilingual classroom; remedial teaching | 15 |
Pick Language II based on which language you can teach grammar in, not which one you speak best. The pedagogy questions assume you're teaching it.
Mathematics (30 Marks)
| Part | Topics Covered | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Content | Geometry, shapes, numbers, measurement, data handling, patterns, money | 20 |
| Pedagogical Issues | Nature of mathematics and logical thinking; error analysis; diagnostic and remedial teaching | 10 |
Environmental Studies (30 Marks)
| Part | Topics Covered | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Content | Family and friends, food, shelter, water, travel, things we make and do | 20 |
| Pedagogical Issues | Concept and scope of EVS; integrated EVS teaching; Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation | 10 |
Don't skip this assuming it's easy. The pedagogy half trips up candidates who only revised content.
Where candidates lose easy marks: treating EVS and Mathematics content as separate from their pedagogy sub-sections. CBSE tests them as one 30-mark block, and the pedagogy questions are just as scoring as the content ones, sometimes easier, if you know the terminology.
CTET Paper 2 Syllabus: What's Tested for Classes 6 to 8
Paper 2 includes 150 marks and 150 questions where candidates have to make optional choices between Mathematics & Science and Social Studies in the fourth block. Questions in CDP, Language I, and Language II, along with other similar questions in other blocks, are adapted from Paper 1 and are a little more advanced and appropriate at the 11 to 14 age group level.
Child Development and Pedagogy, Elementary Level (30 Marks)
Same three-part structure as Paper 1, but the lens shifts to adolescent development.
| Part | Topics Covered | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| A. Child Development | Piaget's formal operational stage; Vygotsky's ZPD; Kohlberg's moral reasoning; identity and gender in adolescence | 15 |
| B. Inclusive Education | Learning disabilities and CWSN strategies for the 11 to 14 age group | 5 |
| C. Learning and Pedagogy | Motivation in adolescents; critical thinking development; assessment of learning | 10 |
Mathematics and Science (60 Marks): For Maths/Science Teachers
| Subject | Part | Topics Covered | Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Content | Number system, algebra, geometry, mensuration, data handling from NCERT Classes 6 to 8 | 20 |
| Mathematics | Pedagogy | Nature of mathematics; problem-solving; error analysis; evaluation methods | 10 |
| Science | Content | Food, materials, the living world, electricity, natural phenomena and resources | 20 |
| Science | Pedagogy | Teaching through observation and experiment; evaluation; remedial teaching | 10 |
Social Studies / Social Science (60 Marks): For SST Teachers
| Subject Area | Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| History | Earliest societies through the Nationalist Movement and India after independence, from NCERT Classes 6 to 8 |
| Geography | Earth's structure, globe, environment, resources, agriculture, and settlement patterns |
| Social and Political Life | Democracy, government, the judiciary, the Constitution, and social justice |
| Pedagogical Issues (6 to 8 marks) | Classroom discussion, primary and secondary sources, building critical thinking around evidence |
Tip: Candidates who studied Maths and Science usually think that stream is the "safer" option for Paper 2. This is a misconception. Social Studies does not require any type of numerical problem-solving under time pressure, but it does require the candidate to recall across three subjects at the same time. Neither is objectively easier. It depends on which type of time pressure you are comfortable working under.
What Syllabus Difference in CTET Paper 1 vs Paper 2
The important differences are not in grades or question number, since both papers are the exact same. The important differences are taken by the lenses of different age groups in the CDP, the subject streams selected in Paper 2, and the difficulty level of Language II.
| Parameter | Paper 1 | Paper 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching Level | Classes 1 to 5 | Classes 6 to 8 |
| CDP Focus | Early childhood development | Adolescent development, higher conceptual depth |
| Fourth Subject Block | Mathematics (30) + EVS (30), both compulsory | Choice: Maths & Science (60) OR Social Studies (60) |
| NCERT Base | Classes 1 to 5 | Classes 6 to 8 |
| Subject Choice Required | No | Yes, locks your eligible teaching stream |
What are CTET Qualifying Marks in 2026
General category candidates need 90 out of 150 (60%) to qualify. SC, ST, and OBC candidates need 82 out of 150 (55%). Some sources round this to 82.5, but CBSE's published cutoff is 82. This applies identically to both Paper 1 and Paper 2; there's no separate bar for either paper.
Scoring exactly at the cutoff still gets you the certificate. CTET is a qualifying exam, not a ranked one, so there's no advantage to scoring higher beyond what individual recruiters might weigh later.
Should You Choose Math or Science or Social Studies for Paper 2?
Most guides divide the Paper 2 subject option as a formality, but this choice is not as insignificant as it may seem. Your choice here will potentially narrow or widen the types of teaching posts you will be eligible to apply for in the future, and changing streams will mean you will have to reappear to sit that half of Paper 2 in the future, not just revise a chapter and move on.
If you have a B.Ed. or a degree specialization in a particular subject, then that specialization should inform your choice, rather than what looks shorter in the syllabus. A Social Studies specialist who picks Maths and Science because “the syllabus looks shorter” is creating a harder exam for them and also creating a mismatched job application. Match the stream with your specialization, and then prepare the syllabus accordingly, rather than the other way around.
