How Many Attempts Are Allowed In The CTET?

The Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) takes place twice a year and is held to test the conceptual understanding of candidates who wish to pursue a career in teaching.

CTET is one of the toughest exams held in India as lakhs of candidates apply for it every year, so the competition is pretty steep.

The benefit of the CTET certificate is that it offers a lifetime validity but if a candidate wishes to improve their score, they can appear for the exam again. 

Moreover, it opens various doors to government and private jobs in the teaching sector.

How Many Attempts Are Allowed in the CTET? 

Although there is no restriction on the number of attempts allowed in the CTET, the candidates must fulfill the eligibility criteria. 

The eligibility criteria for CTET Paper 1 and Paper 2 are as follows: 

Criteria	Description
Age	The minimum age for the CTET exam is 17 years, however, there is no maximum age limit
Qualification	CTET Educational Qualification for Paper 1 The candidate must have successfully cleared or may be in the final year of his/her 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education.  The minimum mark required is 50% from a recognized University or institution.  OR The applicant must have cleared or is in the final stage of clearing the 2 years diploma in Elementary education with a minimum of 45% marks, according to the NCTE Regulations 2022, from a recognized university or institute OR The Aspirant must have cleared or is still pursuing the final year of 4 years Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, from a recognized University or Institution. The minimum marks requirement is 50%.  OR The Candidate must have cleared or is still pursuing the final year of his/her 2 years Diploma in Special Education, with at least 50% marks. Again, the degree should be from a recognized University/Institution. OR The candidates must have cleared his/her Graduation with 50% marks and his/her Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) from a recognized University/Institution. Educational Qualification for CTET Paper 2 The Candidate must have cleared his/her Graduation and the 2 years Diploma in Elementary Education from a recognized University/Institution. OR The Candidate must have cleared his/her Graduation (with at least 50% marks) and passed or must be appearing in the first year of Bachelor in Education (B.Ed), from a recognized University/Institution. OR The candidates must have cleared his/her Graduation (with at least 45% marks) and passed 1-year B.Ed or should be appearing in the same, per the NCTE Regulations in Education OR The candidate should have passed senior secondary (or its equivalent) with 50% marks. The candidates must have cleared the Graduation of 4- a year's Bachelor in Elementary Education (B.EI.Ed). OR The candidate should have a senior secondary certificate with at least 50% marks. Moreover, the Candidate must have cleared the Graduation of 4- year B.A/B.Sc.Ed or B.A.Ed/B.Sc.Ed. OR A degree in graduation with at least 50% marks is required in addition to having cleared the 1-year B.Ed in special education. OR The Candidates must have cleared Graduation in B.Ed. Programs recognized by the NCTE

Benefits of giving CTET 

Some of the benefits of giving the CTET are: 

• The candidates with a valid CTET score are eligible to apply for the post of teacher in Government schools such as Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Navodya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) Army Teacher, Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB), and so on.

• Candidates with a CTET certificate are eligible to apply for the teacher’s post in state government as well as private institutes. And CTET qualified candidates are given priority over others, whether it be regular or contractual.

• There is no restriction on the number of attempts a candidate can give for the CTET exam and can also improve their final score if they wish to.

Conclusion

In conclusion, since there is no restriction on the number of attempts a candidate can take in the CTET Exam, there are more chances of candidates qualifying. However, it is important to check the eligibility criteria before applying.

On that note, since the validity of CTET Certificate is now valid for a lifetime, candidates can now fulfill their teaching dreams. This move i.e. the extension of the CTET Certificate validity by the Ministry of Education (MoE), is a grand gesture to many aspirants.  

FAQs

Q1. Is it compulsory to attempt both papers in CTET?

Ans. Candidates who wish to teach classes 1 to 8 need to appear for both papers in CTET. CTET paper 1 is for those candidates who want to teach classes 1 to 5 whereas paper 2 is meant for those who want to teach classes 6 to 8. Therefore, depending on your goal, you can choose to appear in either paper or both.

Q2. What is the CTET Eligibility to apply for both papers?

Ans. According to the revised Eligibility Criteria for CBSE CTET, aspirants who have completed post-graduation (PG) in any discipline and have a minimum of 55% marks or an equivalent grade, along with a 3-year integrated B. Ed - M. 

Q3. Which CTET is valid for a lifetime?

Ans. According to the latest update, the validity of the CTET certificate has extended from 7 years to a lifetime.

Q4. Can I give paper 2 only in CTET?

Ans. Candidates who have completed their graduation with an aggregate of 50% marks are eligible to sit for paper 2. So, yes, you can appear for paper 2 only.