CBSE confirms CTET exam on February 8, 2026; city intimation slips already released
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has officially announced the CTET 2026 exam date, bringing relief to lakhs of candidates preparing for teaching jobs. As per the official schedule, the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) 2026, which is the 21st edition of the exam, will be conducted on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at examination centres across the country.
Exam Mode, Cities, and Languages
The CTET 2026 examination will be held in offline mode. CBSE will conduct the test in 132 cities across India. At the same time, CBSE will allow candidates to take the exam in 20 different languages, which makes it easier for applicants from different regions to appear for the test comfortably.
Who Conducts CTET and Why It Matters
CBSE conducts the CTET exam on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Government of India. It is a national-level eligibility exam for candidates who want to build a career in teaching. Clearing CTET is an important step for those aiming to work as teachers in government and government-aided schools.
A CTET certificate is compulsory for recruitment in Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVS), and many other schools run by the central and state governments.
Purpose of the CTET Examination
The CTET exam is conducted to assess whether candidates are eligible to teach at different school levels. Paper I is for applicants who want to teach Classes 1-5, and Paper II is for those who want to teach Classes 6-8.
Candidates who pass the exam are awarded a CTET credential, which is required to apply for numerous government teaching positions.
CTET Schedule and Key Dates
The CBSE issued the CTET 2026 schedule on November 27, 2025. Along with this, the online registration process began on the same day. Candidates were allowed to apply till December 18, 2025.
On January 23, 2026, CBSE later released the city intimation slip. This slip informed candidates about the city of their examination centre and their exam shift. As already announced, the CTET 2026 exam will be held on February 8, 2026.
Meanwhile, CBSE is expected to release the CTET 2026 admit cards 7 to 10 days before the exam. As per the timeline, candidates will most likely be able to download their admit cards in the last week of January or the first week of February, ahead of the February 8 examination.
City Intimation Slip and Admit Card Details
Earlier, CBSE released the city intimation slip to help candidates plan their travel in advance. This slip only tells candidates which city their exam centre will be in and does not act as the admit card.
Whenever CBSE releases the CTET 2026 admit card, aspirants must download it from the official website, ctet.nic.in. On the day of the exam, candidates will be permitted to enter the examination centre only if they bring a valid admit card and a photo ID.
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Exam Structure
The CTET 2026 exam will be administered using pen and paper. There will be 150 multiple-choice questions on each exam, with one mark given for each right answer.
Additionally, there is no negative grading, so candidates can respond to any question without worrying about losing marks.
CBSE often conducts the exam in two shifts. Paper II is often held in the morning, followed by Paper I in the afternoon.
Application Process
The CBSE executed the CTET 2026 application procedure entirely online, via the official website ctet.nic.in. During the process, candidates entered their personal information, uploaded the required documents, and paid the application fee by the deadline.
Advice for Candidates
Candidates should rely only on the official CTET website for updates and announcements to avoid confusion. At the same time, they should keep all important documents ready and download the admit card as soon as it is released.
Meanwhile, while preparing for the exam, aspirants should strictly adhere to the approved CTET syllabus. This syllabus covers Child Development and Pedagogy, Languages, Mathematics, Environmental Studies, and other disciplines that will help them prepare for the test. Focusing on these topics will help candidates prepare in a better and more organised way.
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