CTET Syllabus 2026: Paper 1 and Paper 2 Subject-Wise Topics
The CTET syllabus 2026 covers what CBSE expects a teacher of Classes 1 to 8 to know and, just as importantly, how to teach it. Paper I (Classes 1–5) and Paper II (Classes 6–8) each have 150 questions, and in most subjects half of the questions test pedagogy rather than content. CBSE has not changed the syllabus for the current session, whose exam is now scheduled for 12 and 13 December 2026.
This guide lists every subject and topic for both papers, shows how questions are split between content and pedagogy, and gives a practical way to cover the syllabus.
CTET Syllabus 2026
Paper | For | Subjects | Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
Paper I | Classes 1–5 | Child Development and Pedagogy, Language I, Language II, Mathematics, Environmental Studies | 150 |
Paper II | Classes 6–8 | Child Development and Pedagogy, Language I, Language II, and either Mathematics and Science or Social Studies | 150 |
How Difficult Is the CTET Syllabus?
Paper I: Content questions are based on topics from Classes 1 to 5, but their difficulty can go up to the secondary (Class 10) level.
Paper II: Content questions are based on topics from Classes 6 to 8, but their difficulty can go up to the senior secondary (Class 12) level.
Pedagogy: Questions test how you would teach, assess and support children in a real classroom.
So reading only the Class 1–8 books is not enough. You need to understand the concepts well and know how to teach them.
CTET Paper 1 Syllabus (Classes 1–5)
Child Development and Pedagogy (30 Questions)
Sub-area | Questions | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
Child development (primary school child) | 15 | Concept of development and its link with learning; principles of development; heredity and environment; socialisation (teacher, parents, peers); Piaget, Kohlberg and Vygotsky; child-centred and progressive education; intelligence and multiple intelligences; language and thought; gender as a social construct; individual differences; assessment for learning vs assessment of learning; school-based assessment and CCE |
Inclusive education and children with special needs | 5 | Learners from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds; children with learning difficulties and impairments; talented, creative and specially abled learners |
Learning and pedagogy | 10 | How children think and learn; why children fail to perform; teaching-learning processes; the child as a problem solver and scientific investigator; children's errors as a step in learning; cognition and emotions; motivation; personal and environmental factors in learning |
Language I (30 Questions)
Sub-area | Questions | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
Language comprehension | 15 | Reading unseen passages (prose or drama, and poem) with questions on comprehension, inference, grammar and verbal ability |
Pedagogy of language development | 15 | Learning and acquisition; principles of language teaching; role of listening and speaking; role of grammar; challenges of teaching language in a diverse classroom; the four skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing); teaching-learning materials; remedial teaching; evaluating language comprehension and proficiency |
Language II (30 Questions)
Sub-area | Questions | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
Comprehension | 15 | Two unseen prose passages (discursive, literary, narrative or scientific) with questions on comprehension, grammar and verbal ability |
Pedagogy of language development | 15 | Same pedagogy areas as Language I |
Language I and Language II must be different. Candidates choose them from the 20 languages listed in the information bulletin.
Mathematics (30 Questions)
Sub-area | Questions | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
Content | 15 | Geometry; shapes and spatial understanding; solids around us; numbers; addition and subtraction; multiplication; division; measurement; weight; time; volume; data handling; patterns; money |
Pedagogical issues | 15 | Nature of mathematics and logical thinking; place of maths in the curriculum; language of mathematics; community mathematics; formal and informal evaluation; problems of teaching; error analysis; diagnostic and remedial teaching |
Environmental Studies (30 Questions)
Sub-area | Questions | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
Content | 15 | Family and friends (relationships, work and play, animals, plants); food; shelter; water; travel; things we make and do |
Pedagogical issues | 15 | Concept and scope of EVS; significance of integrated EVS; EVS and environmental education; learning principles; relation to Science and Social Science; approaches to presenting concepts; activities and experiments; discussion; CCE; teaching material and aids; problems in teaching EVS |
CTET Paper 2 Syllabus (Classes 6–8)
Child Development and Pedagogy (30 Questions)
The structure is the same as Paper I (15 child development, 5 inclusive education, 10 learning and pedagogy), but the focus is on the elementary school child of Classes 6 to 8.
Language I and Language II (30 Questions Each)
The sub-areas match Paper I: 15 questions on comprehension and 15 on pedagogy of language development in each language.
Mathematics and Science (60 Questions)
This option is for candidates who want to teach Maths or Science.
Mathematics (30 Questions)
Sub-area | Questions | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
Content | 20 | Number system (knowing our numbers, playing with numbers, whole numbers, negative numbers and integers, fractions); algebra (introduction to algebra, ratio and proportion); geometry (basic geometrical ideas, understanding elementary 2D and 3D shapes, symmetry, constructions using straight edge, scale, protractor and compass); mensuration; data handling |
Pedagogical issues | 10 | Nature of mathematics and logical thinking; place of maths in the curriculum; language of mathematics; community mathematics; evaluation; remedial teaching; problems of teaching |
Science (30 Questions)
Sub-area | Questions | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
Content | 20 | Food (sources, components, cleaning food); materials of daily use; the world of the living; moving things, people and ideas; how things work (electric current and circuits, magnets); natural phenomena; natural resources |
Pedagogical issues | 10 | Nature and structure of science; natural science aims and objectives; understanding and appreciating science; approaches and integrated approach; observation, experiment and discovery; innovation; text material and aids; evaluation (cognitive, psychomotor, affective); problems; remedial teaching |
Social Studies / Social Sciences (60 Questions)
This option is for candidates who want to teach Social Studies.
Sub-area | Questions |
|---|---|
Content (History, Geography, Social and Political Life) | 40 |
Pedagogical issues | 20 |
History
When, where and how; the earliest societies; the first farmers and herders; the first kingdoms; early states; new ideas; the first empire; contacts with distant lands; political developments; culture and science; new kings and kingdoms; Sultans of Delhi; architecture; creation of an empire; social change; regional cultures; establishment of Company power; rural life and society; colonialism and tribal societies; the revolt of 1857–58; women and reform; challenging the caste system; the nationalist movement; India after independence.
Geography
Geography as a social study and as a science; planet Earth in the solar system; the globe; environment in its totality (natural and human); air; water; human environment (settlement, transport and communication); resources (types: natural and human); agriculture.
Social and Political Life
Diversity; government; local government; making a living; democracy; state government; understanding media; unpacking gender; the Constitution; parliamentary government; the judiciary; social justice and the marginalised.
Social Studies Pedagogy
Concept and nature of social science; classroom processes, activities and discourse; developing critical thinking; enquiry and empirical evidence; problems of teaching social science; sources (primary and secondary); project work; evaluation.
Content vs Pedagogy: Why It Matters
Subject | Content questions | Pedagogy questions |
|---|---|---|
Paper I Maths | 15 | 15 |
Paper I EVS | 15 | 15 |
Each language | 15 | 15 |
Paper II Maths | 20 | 10 |
Paper II Science | 20 | 10 |
Paper II Social Studies | 40 | 20 |
Pedagogy carries a large share of marks, especially in Paper I. Candidates who study only subject content often score low even when they know the subject well. Pedagogy questions usually describe a classroom situation and ask what the teacher should do, so you need to understand the reasoning behind child-centred teaching, not just definitions.
Is the CTET Syllabus Changed in 2026?
No. CBSE has not announced any change to the CTET syllabus for the current session. The syllabus remains aligned with NCERT content for Classes 1 to 8 and the pedagogy areas listed in the information bulletin.
How to Cover the CTET Syllabus
Step 1: Start With Child Development and Pedagogy
CDP is common to both papers and is the foundation for all pedagogy questions. Learn the theories of Piaget, Vygotsky and Kohlberg, inclusive education, and assessment concepts such as CCE first.
Step 2: Read NCERT Books for Content
Paper I: NCERT Maths and EVS books for Classes 1 to 5.
Paper II: NCERT Maths, Science and Social Science books for Classes 6 to 8.
Make short notes of key facts, definitions and examples.
Step 3: Study Pedagogy Subject by Subject
For each subject, link the pedagogy topics to real teaching situations. For example, in Maths pedagogy, understand why error analysis helps a teacher plan remedial teaching.
Step 4: Practise Language Comprehension
Read unseen passages regularly and practise grammar questions. Language sections are often scoring for candidates who practise.
Step 5: Solve Previous Year Papers and Mock Tests
Previous year papers show how CBSE frames pedagogy questions. Full-length mocks help you manage 150 questions in 150 minutes.
Suggested 10-Week Study Plan
Weeks | Focus |
|---|---|
1–2 | Child Development and Pedagogy (all three sub-areas) |
3–5 | Subject content from NCERT books, with short notes |
6–7 | Subject pedagogy and language pedagogy |
8 | Language comprehension practice and revision of CDP |
9–10 | Previous year papers and full-length mock tests |
Recommended Study Resources
Subject | Resource |
|---|---|
Content (all subjects) | NCERT textbooks for Classes 1 to 8 |
Child Development and Pedagogy | A standard CDP guide covering Piaget, Vygotsky, Kohlberg, inclusive education and assessment |
Language pedagogy | A language teaching guide covering LSRW skills, acquisition and remedial teaching |
Subject pedagogy | NCERT and NCF-based material on teaching Maths, EVS, Science and Social Studies |
Practice | CTET previous year papers and full-length mock tests |
Choose one reliable source per subject and revise it several times, rather than reading many books once.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Ignoring pedagogy: It carries up to half the marks in several sections.
Memorising theories without application: CDP questions test how theories apply in class.
Skipping Language II: Candidates often neglect it, but it carries 30 marks.
Relying only on guidebooks: NCERT books remain the base for content questions.
Not practising full papers: The paper is long, so timed practice is essential.
The CTET syllabus 2026 tests both what you know and how you would teach it. Build a strong base in Child Development and Pedagogy, study content from NCERT books, give equal time to subject pedagogy, and practise with previous year papers and mocks before the December exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
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