The Central Board of Secondary Education has officially launched the registration process for the Central Teacher Eligibility Test February 2026 session, marking a crucial opportunity for teaching aspirants across India. The online application window is now active, allowing candidates to secure their eligibility for teaching positions in schools nationwide.
CTET February 2026: Key Dates and Schedule
The registration process commenced on 27 November 2025 and will continue until 18 December 2025. Applicants must complete both form submission and fee payment by 11:59 PM on the final date. The examination itself is scheduled for 8 February 2026, with a well-organized timetable that accommodates both papers efficiently.
Paper-II will be conducted during the morning shift from 9:30 AM to 12:00 Noon, while Paper-I will follow in the evening session from 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM. This scheduling allows candidates to focus on one paper at a time while maintaining adequate breaks between sessions.
Complete Application Process for CTET 2026
Aspiring teachers must follow a systematic approach to complete their CTET application successfully. The process begins by visiting the official CTET website at https://ctet.nic.in, which serves as the only authorized portal for CTET applications.
After accessing the website, candidates should click on the "Apply Online" link, which redirects them to the registration interface. The initial step involves filling an authentication form with essential details including:
- State of residence
- Identification type
- Candidate's full name
- Date of birth
- Gender
Upon successful submission of these details, the system generates a unique Registration Number/Application Number that candidates must carefully note for future reference.
Document Upload and Fee Payment Guidelines
After completing the initial registration, applicants must proceed to fill the comprehensive online application form with personal details, academic qualifications, and contact information. A critical aspect involves creating a secure password following the mandatory password policy:
- Password length must be between 8-13 characters
- Must include uppercase and lowercase letters
- Must contain numeric characters
- Must include special characters
- The system prevents repetition of the last three passwords
The document upload phase requires strict compliance with technical specifications. Candidates need to upload scanned images of their photograph in JPG/JPEG format weighing between 10-100 KB with dimensions of 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm. The signature must also be in JPG/JPEG format weighing 3-30 KB with dimensions of 3.5 cm × 1.5 cm. Non-compliant uploads may lead to application rejection.
The final step involves payment of examination fees through debit/credit card or net banking. If the payment status doesn't show as "OK", candidates must repay the amount. Failed transactions are automatically refunded within a week.
After successful data submission and payment confirmation, candidates must download and print the Confirmation Page, which serves as the primary proof of application completion. This document should be preserved until the examination process concludes.
The CTET certification serves as a mandatory qualification for teaching positions in central government schools like Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, as well as schools under the administrative control of Union Territories. Many state governments and private schools also recognize CTET scores for teacher recruitment, making this examination a crucial milestone for teaching careers across India.
