CTET 2026: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the revised examination schedule for the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) February 2026 session. According to the official notice, the exam dates have been updated. Earlier scheduled to be held only on February 8, the CTET will now be conducted over two days February 7 and 8 2026.
The decision to extend the examination to two days has been taken in view of the large number of candidates, to ensure the smooth and efficient conduct of the exam across 140 cities nationwide.
CTET February 2026: Complete Exam Schedule
CBSE has finalised the shift-wise timing for both examination days. The CTET will be conducted at two levels Paper I for candidates intending to teach Classes 1 to 5, and Paper II for Classes 6 to 8.
7 February 2026 (Saturday)
- Paper II (Morning Shift): 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
- Paper I (Afternoon Shift): 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM
8 February 2026 (Sunday)
- Paper II (Morning Shift): 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
- Paper I (Afternoon Shift): 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Each paper will have a duration of 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Admit Card and Reporting Time
CBSE has issued strict instructions regarding reporting time. Candidates must reach their examination centre at least one hour before the scheduled start time. Entry will not be permitted after the reporting time under any circumstances.
Candidates will be able to download their CTET admit cards two days before the examination from the official website ctet.nic.in. The exam city slip has already been released, allowing candidates to check the city of their allotted examination centre in advance.
Over 25 Lakh Applications Received
This year, a total of 25,30,581 candidates have successfully registered for the CTET February 2026 exam. The number increased further after CBSE provided relief to candidates whose registrations were earlier incomplete.
Exam Format and Importance
CTET is a mandatory eligibility test for candidates aspiring to become teachers in central government schools such as KVS and NVS, as well as in schools run by various state governments. The examination carries no negative markings. Candidates from the general category must score at least 60 per cent (90 marks) to qualify.
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