- CTET previous year question paper year wise list
- CTET exam pattern for Paper 1 and Paper 2
- CTET question paper languages available
- Why recent CTET papers download as ZIP files
- CTET qualifying marks and certificate validity
- How to download and solve CTET previous year papers
- CTET previous year final answer key
- CTET Language I and Language II rules with language codes
- Nature and standard of CTET questions
- Where the CTET certificate is accepted
- Important Links
CTET Previous Year Question Paper PDF Download is available free from the official CBSE archive, which holds papers for 12 sessions from December 2018 to February 2026. Papers cover both Paper 1 for classes I to V and Paper 2 for classes VI to VIII, in more than a dozen languages. Older sessions are direct PDFs, while recent sessions are set-wise ZIP files.
CTET previous year question paper year wise list
The official archive is organised by examination session, not by subject. Each session page holds the papers for that sitting, split by paper and by language. The format changed after 2021, which is the single most useful thing to know before clicking, because it decides whether you get a readable PDF or a compressed archive.
| CTET session | What the official archive holds |
|---|---|
| CTET February 2026 | 18 set-wise files, Paper 1 and Paper 2, supplied as ZIP archives |
| CTET December 2024 | 12 set-wise ZIP files across both papers |
| CTET July 2024 | 8 set-wise ZIP files across both papers |
| CTET January 2024 | 8 set-wise ZIP files across both papers |
| CTET August 2023 | 8 set-wise ZIP files across both papers |
| CTET January 2021 | 38 direct PDFs, paper wise and language wise |
| CTET December 2019 | 38 direct PDFs, paper wise and language wise |
| CTET July 2019 | 38 direct PDFs, paper wise and language wise |
| CTET December 2018 | 38 direct PDFs, paper wise and language wise |
| December 2021 and December 2022 | Listed in the archive but carry very few or no downloadable files |
CTET exam pattern for Paper 1 and Paper 2
Both papers run for two and a half hours and carry 150 multiple choice questions for 150 marks. Every question carries one mark and there is no negative marking, which is why attempting the full paper is always the correct strategy. All sections are compulsory.
| Section in the paper | Questions and marks |
|---|---|
| Child development and pedagogy | 30 MCQs, 30 marks, compulsory in both papers |
| Language I | 30 MCQs, 30 marks, compulsory in both papers |
| Language II | 30 MCQs, 30 marks, compulsory in both papers |
| Mathematics, Paper 1 only | 30 MCQs, 30 marks |
| Environmental studies, Paper 1 only | 30 MCQs, 30 marks |
| Mathematics and Science, Paper 2 | 60 MCQs, 60 marks, for a maths and science teacher |
| Social Studies, Paper 2 | 60 MCQs, 60 marks, taken instead of maths and science |
| Total in each paper | 150 MCQs, 150 marks, two and a half hours, no negative marking |
CTET question paper languages available
This is where the official archive is far richer than most paper collections, and it is a strong reason to use the CBSE copy rather than a rewritten one. Each session carries the main bilingual paper plus separate regional language papers, which matters because Language I and Language II are scoring sections.
| Language paper question | What the archive provides |
|---|---|
| Which is the main paper | The MAIN paper, carrying the English and Hindi version |
| Regional language papers | Separate files including Assamese, Bengali, Garo and other notified languages |
| Are both papers covered | Yes. Language files exist separately for Paper 1 and Paper 2 |
| How many files per older session | 38 files per session for 2018, both 2019 sittings and January 2021 |
| Why language choice matters | Language I and Language II carry 60 of the 150 marks between them |
Why recent CTET papers download as ZIP files
Candidates often report that the CTET paper “will not open” on a phone. It is not a broken link. From the August 2023 session onward CBSE stopped publishing single PDFs and began releasing set-wise compressed archives hosted on Google Drive, one file per paper per set.
| Download problem | What is actually happening |
|---|---|
| File downloads as a ZIP not a PDF | Normal for August 2023 onward. Extract the archive to reach the paper |
| Link opens Google Drive | CBSE hosts the recent session archives on Drive, reached from the official page |
| Papers are split by set letter | Sets such as B, C, D, E and beyond, since multiple booklet sets are used per shift |
| File names look cryptic | They follow a p1 or p2 prefix, then the exam date and set, for example p1_07Feb_Set-V |
| Which sessions give a plain PDF | December 2018, July 2019, December 2019 and January 2021 are direct PDFs |
| Opening a ZIP on a phone | Use any file manager with extract support, or download on a desktop instead |
CTET qualifying marks and certificate validity
Solving papers is only worth it against the right target score. The qualifying bar is set by an NCTE notification rather than by the difficulty of a given sitting, so it does not move from session to session.
| Qualifying question | Official position |
|---|---|
| Marks needed to pass | 60 per cent or more, which is 90 out of 150 |
| Which rule sets the bar | NCTE Notification No. 76-4/2010/NCTE/Acad dated 11.02.2011 |
| Relaxation for reserved categories | School managements may allow concessions as per their extant reservation policy, with NCTE notifying relaxation up to 5 per cent |
| How long the certificate stays valid | Lifetime, for all categories |
| Does passing guarantee a job | No. It is one eligibility criterion, and confers no right to appointment |
| Where CTET applies | Central government schools such as KVS and NVS, plus schools in specified union territories and NCT of Delhi |
How to download and solve CTET previous year papers
A paper collection only helps if it is attempted under real conditions. Two and a half hours for 150 questions leaves about one minute per question, and no negative marking changes how the last ten minutes should be spent.
- Pick a direct PDF session first, such as January 2021, so you can start without extracting an archive.
- Download the paper matching your level, Paper 1 for classes I to V or Paper 2 for classes VI to VIII.
- Choose the language version you will actually sit the exam in, not only the English one.
- Attempt the full 150 questions in one timed sitting of two and a half hours.
- Leave nothing blank at the end, because there is no negative marking.
- Score against the official final answer key for that session rather than an unofficial key.
- Compare your total against 90 out of 150, then repeat with an older session to check consistency.
CTET previous year final answer key
CBSE publishes a separate final answer key archive alongside the question papers. Scoring an attempted paper against the final key is the only reliable way to judge a mock attempt, since unofficial keys circulated after each sitting are frequently revised.
| Answer key question | What the official archive offers |
|---|---|
| Is there an official answer key | Yes. CBSE maintains a previous year final answer key section |
| Is it the final or provisional key | The archive section is for the final key, published after challenges are settled |
| Why not use an unofficial key | Provisional and coaching keys are often revised, so a score built on them can be wrong |
| How to score your attempt | One mark per correct answer, nothing deducted for a wrong or skipped question |
CTET Language I and Language II rules with language codes
Two of the five sections are language papers, and candidates lose marks every year by choosing them carelessly. Language I tests proficiency in the medium of instruction, while Language II tests elements of language, communication and comprehension. The two must be different, and both are locked in on the confirmation page, so past papers should be solved in the same pair you intend to sit.
| Language rule or option | What the official bulletin specifies |
|---|---|
| What Language I tests | Proficiencies related to the medium of instruction |
| What Language II tests | Elements of language, communication and comprehension abilities |
| Can both be the same language | No. Language II must be a language other than Language I |
| How many languages are offered | 27, each carrying an official code on the application form |
| Common codes | English 01, Hindi 02, Assamese 03, Bengali 04, Gujarati 06, Kannada 07 |
| Further codes | Malayalam 09, Marathi 11, Odia 14, Punjabi 15, Sanskrit 16, Tamil 17, Telugu 18, Urdu 20 |
| Where the choice is locked | On the confirmation page while applying, so it cannot be changed later |
| Marks at stake | 60 of 150 marks, since each language section carries 30 |
Nature and standard of CTET questions
Reading past papers alongside the bulletin explains why some questions feel harder than the class level suggests. Questions are drawn from NCERT syllabus topics for the relevant classes, but the difficulty may be pitched higher, and every subject section is tested for pedagogy rather than content recall alone.
| Question standard question | Official description |
|---|---|
| Which age group Paper 1 targets | Educational psychology of teaching and learning relevant to the 6 to 11 years age group |
| Which age group Paper 2 targets | Educational psychology relevant to the 11 to 14 years age group |
| Which syllabus questions come from | Topics prescribed by NCERT for classes I to V in Paper 1, and VI to VIII in Paper 2 |
| How difficult the questions are | Difficulty and linkages may go up to the secondary stage, above the class level itself |
| What maths and EVS test | Concepts, problem solving abilities and pedagogical understanding and application |
| How topics are spread across a section | Evenly distributed over the different divisions of that subject syllabus |
| What child development sections assess | Characteristics and needs of diverse learners, interaction with learners, and qualities of a good facilitator |
Where the CTET certificate is accepted
Before investing weeks in past papers it is worth knowing which employers the certificate actually opens. CTET is a central test, and its direct applicability is defined in the bulletin rather than left to individual schools. State government schools generally run their own state TET instead.
| Acceptance question | What the bulletin states |
|---|---|
| Which central schools accept it | Schools of the central government, including KVS, NVS and Central Tibetan Schools |
| Which union territories are covered | Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep |
| Is Delhi included | Yes. Schools under the administrative control of NCT of Delhi are covered |
| Do private schools accept it | Unaided private schools may consider the certificate at their own discretion |
| Does it replace a state TET | No. State government schools usually require their own state teacher eligibility test |
| Does a higher score help | School managements are to give weightage to CTET scores during recruitment |
Important Links
All destinations below are on the official CBSE CTET website or the Government of India content delivery network that hosts its files.
| Resource | Direct link |
|---|---|
| CTET previous year question paper archive, all sessions | Open official CTET paper archive |
| CTET January 2021 Paper 1 question paper PDF | Download January 2021 Paper 1 |
| CTET January 2021 Paper 2 question paper PDF | Download January 2021 Paper 2 |
| CTET December 2019 Paper 1 question paper PDF | Download December 2019 Paper 1 |
| CTET December 2019 Paper 2 question paper PDF | Download December 2019 Paper 2 |
| CTET previous year final answer key | Open official final answer key archive |
| CTET official website | Open ctet.nic.in |
| CTET September 2026 application and exam details | Read CTET September 2026 update |
| More Sarkari Naukri updates | View more Sarkari Naukri updates |
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🔥 Related: CTET Previous Year Question Paper PDF Download
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I download CTET previous year question papers officially?
From the CBSE CTET archive on ctet.nic.in, which holds papers for 12 sessions from December 2018 to February 2026.
Are CTET previous year papers free?
Yes. The papers are published free on the official CTET website and no payment or registration is required.
Which CTET sessions are available as direct PDFs?
December 2018, July 2019, December 2019 and January 2021 are direct PDFs, with 38 files per session.
Why does my CTET paper download as a ZIP file?
From August 2023 onward CBSE publishes set-wise ZIP archives on Google Drive instead of single PDFs. Extract the archive to reach the paper.
Are CTET papers available in Hindi?
Yes. The MAIN paper carries the English and Hindi version, and separate regional language papers are published alongside it.
What is the CTET exam pattern?
150 multiple choice questions for 150 marks in two and a half hours, with one mark per question and no negative marking.
What is the difference between CTET Paper 1 and Paper 2?
Paper 1 is for those who intend to teach classes I to V, and Paper 2 is for classes VI to VIII. A candidate wanting both levels sits both papers.
Is there negative marking in CTET?
No. Each question carries one mark and nothing is deducted for a wrong answer, so no question should be left blank.
How many marks are needed to qualify CTET?
60 per cent or more, which is 90 out of 150, as per NCTE Notification No. 76-4/2010/NCTE/Acad dated 11.02.2011.
How long is the CTET certificate valid?
The CTET qualifying certificate is valid for lifetime, for all categories.
Does qualifying CTET guarantee a teaching job?
No. It is only one of the eligibility criteria for appointment and confers no right to recruitment or employment.
Is an official CTET answer key available for past papers?
Yes. CBSE maintains a previous year final answer key section separate from the question paper archive.
How many questions come from Child Development and Pedagogy?
30 questions for 30 marks, and this section is compulsory in both Paper 1 and Paper 2.
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