Teaching & NET · Government Exams

State TET 2026: TS TET, AP TET, UPTET, K-TET and Other State Teacher Eligibility Tests — Dates, Exam Pattern, Qualifying Marks and Free Mock Tests

Every state conducts its own Teacher Eligibility Test to establish eligibility for teaching appointments in its government and aided schools. The tests follow a common national framework — two papers, one hundred and fifty questions, a pedagogy-led design — but each state sets its own syllabus details, language requirements and qualifying conditions.

That combination is what makes state TETs easy to under-prepare for. A candidate who has studied for CTET is most of the way there on structure and pedagogy, and can still be caught out by the state-specific content and the regional language paper, both of which carry real marks.

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State TET · checked 19 September 2026

State TET at a glance, from the official notices

The dates, vacancies and rules below are read on the conducting body’s own site and rewritten as each notice appears. The guide beneath carries the full pattern, syllabus, cut-offs and free mock tests.

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19September 2026

Checked 19 September 2026

State TET: the facts that matter now

  1. 01

    TG TET June 2026 held 16–22 June (CBT), result declared; AP TET 2026 held 5–21 August, result 13 September; UPTET 2026 held 2–4 July (OMR)…

    2026 so far

  2. 02

    Each state’s school education department or examination board under the NCTE guidelines — the Directorate of School Education in Telangana and…

    Conducted by

  3. 03

    Paper I (classes I–V) and Paper II (classes VI–VIII), 150 questions, 150 marks, 2 hours 30 minutes, no negative marking in most states — the CTET…

    Common pattern

  4. 04

    Telangana and Andhra Pradesh: 60 per cent OC, 50 BC, 40 SC, ST and PwD; UP and most northern states: 60 per cent general and 55 reserved; Kerala…

    Qualifying marks

Notification

State TET notification and key dates

Checked 15 September 2026 on the conducting bodies’ portals where they were reachable (ctet.nic.in for the frame, ktet.kerala.gov.in, hpbose.org, sebexam.org) and on the published notifications of the Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh tests. State portals go down for days at a time and dates are frequently revised, so confirm on the portal before acting on any date below.

State TETs in 2026 — where the large tests stand.
State and testConducting body and portal2026 cycleStatus
Telangana — TG TET (TS TET)Directorate of School Education; schooledu.telangana.gov.in and tgtet.aptonline.inJune 2026: notified 13 April, applications 15–30 April, hall tickets 9 June, CBT 16–22 June 2026Result declared; certificates on the portal
Andhra Pradesh — AP TETDepartment of School Education; aptet.apcfss.in and tet2dsc.apcfss.in2026: notified 5 June, applications 5 June – 5 July, CBT 5–21 August 2026Result 13 September 2026; about 46 per cent qualified
Uttar Pradesh — UPTETUP Education Service Selection Commission; upessc.up.gov.in2026: notified 20 March, applications from 27 March, OMR examination 2, 3 and 4 July 2026 at about 955 centresResult declared; certificates released 7 September 2026
Kerala — K-TETPareeksha Bhavan; ktet.kerala.gov.inFebruary 2026 notification and examination in four categories; December 2025 result publishedProvisional keys for February 2026 out; next notification pending
Himachal Pradesh — HP TETHP Board of School Education; hpbose.orgJune 2026 sessionResult declared; November session usual
Gujarat — TET-I and TET-IIState Examination Board; sebexam.orgTET-I 2025 held and result publishedNext cycle awaited
Other state TETs — conducting body and portal.
StateTestBody and portal
MaharashtraMAHA TETMaharashtra State Council of Examination; mahatet.in
KarnatakaKARTETCentralised Admission Cell / School Education Department; sts.karnataka.gov.in
Tamil NaduTNTETTeachers Recruitment Board; trb.tn.gov.in
BiharBTET and STETBihar School Examination Board; secondary.biharboardonline.com and bsebstet.org
RajasthanREETBoard of Secondary Education Rajasthan; rajeduboard.rajasthan.gov.in (REET Mains by the RSSB)
Madhya PradeshMP TETEmployees Selection Board; esb.mp.gov.in
HaryanaHTETBoard of School Education Haryana; bseh.org.in
PunjabPSTETPunjab School Education Board; pstet.pseb.ac.in
West BengalWB TETWest Bengal Board of Primary Education; wbbpe.org
OdishaOTETBoard of Secondary Education Odisha; bseodisha.ac.in
AssamAssam TETSamagra Shiksha Assam; ssa.assam.gov.in
UttarakhandUTETUttarakhand Board of School Education; ukutet.com
JharkhandJTETJharkhand Academic Council; jac.jharkhand.gov.in
ChhattisgarhCG TETCG Vyapam; vyapam.cgstate.gov.in

The Supreme Court judgment and the 2026 rush

The Supreme Court’s 2025 ruling that serving teachers must hold a TET, and its review judgment of 2026 asking for a reasonable opportunity to acquire one, is why CBSE re-opened CTET applications in August 2026 and why several states ran or announced additional TET sessions this year. In-service teachers are a large share of the 2026 candidates — AP TET reported about half of its in-service candidates qualifying — and the sessions are being scheduled more often than the usual once a year.

Overview

What State TET is, and who it suits

State Teacher Eligibility Tests exist because the right to education framework requires teachers at the elementary stage to hold a minimum eligibility qualification, and states conduct their own tests alongside the central one. A state TET certificate establishes eligibility for teaching appointments within that state’s government and aided school system.

The structure is broadly common: Paper 1 for those intending to teach classes one to five, Paper 2 for classes six to eight, each of 150 questions across child development and pedagogy, two languages, and the relevant content subjects. What varies is the detail — which languages are offered, how much state-specific content appears, the qualifying percentage, the validity period, and whether the certificate is accepted outside the state.

Where state TETs differ from CTET

  • The regional language paper — usually one of the two language papers is the state language, and proficiency in it is genuinely required rather than nominal.
  • State-specific content — many state TETs include the state’s own history, geography, culture and administrative structure within their general content.
  • Recognition — a state TET certificate is generally recognised for appointments within that state; CTET has wider recognition across central schools.
  • Conducting body and calendar — each state runs its own cycle, so timings vary and candidates can often sit several.

Check your state’s specific rules

Qualifying percentages, certificate validity, permitted language combinations, eligibility qualifications and the extent of state-specific content all vary between states and have been revised. The conducting board’s notification for your state is the only reliable source, and a guide written for another state can mislead on all of these.

Eligibility

Who can apply for State TET

Every state TET applies the NCTE minimum qualifications — the same routes as CTET — with the state’s own additions: a required language, domicile or reservation rules for its recruitment, and in some states a separate paper for secondary or language teachers. The qualifying percentage is the main difference between states.

Qualifying marks by state — from the recent notifications; confirm in the current one.
StateGeneralBC / OBCSC, ST and PwD
Telangana (TG TET)60 per cent50 per cent40 per cent
Andhra Pradesh (AP TET)60 per cent50 per cent40 per cent
Uttar Pradesh (UPTET)60 per cent55 per cent55 per cent
Kerala (K-TET)60 per centRelaxation for SC/ST/PwD as notifiedAs notified
CTET, for comparison60 per centConcession at the school management’s discretionAs above

Minimum qualifications, in summary (NCTE)

  • Paper I — senior secondary with 50 per cent and a two-year D.El.Ed (or the state’s equivalent — D.Ed, TTC), or a four-year B.El.Ed; final-year candidates may apply.
  • Paper II — graduation with a B.Ed, or graduation and a D.El.Ed, or a four-year integrated degree; a 50 per cent condition applies to the graduation for the B.Ed route.
  • Relaxation — 5 per cent in the qualifying-examination marks for SC, ST, OBC and PwD candidates.
  • Language — the state language paper is compulsory in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and most states; Language I is the medium of instruction and Language II is usually English.
  • Age — no upper age limit for the TET itself; the recruitment that follows has its own limits.

CTET or the state TET?

For a job in the state’s government or aided schools you need that state’s TET (or CTET where the state accepts it — several states accept CTET for Paper I and II posts, but not all). For KVS, NVS, UT and CBSE-affiliated schools you need CTET. Candidates who want both routes sit both; the syllabus overlap is about 80 per cent and the state paper adds the regional language and state-specific general knowledge.

Selection process

How State TET selection works

Each stage in order, and what it actually tests.

Stages change between cycles. Confirm the structure in the notification for the cycle you are sitting.
StageFormatWhat it involves
Paper I — primary stage (classes I to V)Objective, 150 questions, 150 marks, 2 hours 30 minutesChild Development and Pedagogy, Language I (the state language or the medium), Language II (usually English), Mathematics and Environmental Studies, 30 questions each. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh run it as a computer-based test; Uttar Pradesh and most northern states on OMR.
Paper II — upper primary stage (classes VI to VIII)Objective, 150 questions, 150 marks, 2 hours 30 minutesChild Development and Pedagogy, Language I and Language II at 30 each, plus a 60-question block in Mathematics and Science or Social Studies according to the subject; some states add Paper III for secondary or language teachers (Kerala’s Category III and IV, Bihar’s STET Paper II).
Result and eligibility certificatePublished on the state portal; certificates online or by DigiLockerA candidate at or above the state’s qualifying percentage receives the TET certificate for life. It is an eligibility condition for the state’s teacher recruitment — DSC in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the Assistant Teacher recruitment in UP, the PSC in Kerala — not an appointment.

Application to certificate

How a state TET runs, from the notification to the certificate and the recruitment it unlocks

The steps are common to the large states; the portal, fee and dates are in each notification.

The state TET process

  1. Notification and online application The department or board publishes a notification with an information bulletin; applications run for two to four weeks on the portal (schooledu.telangana.gov.in or tgtet.aptonline.in, aptet.apcfss.in, upessc.up.gov.in, ktet.kerala.gov.in). Register with a mobile number and e-mail, fill the qualifications and the paper(s), choose the language and the district preferences, upload the photograph and signature and pay online.
  2. Fee Telangana charged ₹750 for one paper and ₹1,000 for both in June 2026; Uttar Pradesh ₹1,000 per paper for general and OBC candidates, ₹500 for SC and ST and ₹300 for PwD; Andhra Pradesh and Kerala set theirs in the notification. Fees are not refunded.
  3. Corrections and hall ticket A short edit window follows the closing date. Hall tickets appear about a week before the examination (Telangana’s came on 9 June for a 16 June start) with the centre, date and session; computer-based states run several sessions over one to three weeks.
  4. Examination Telangana and Andhra Pradesh: computer-based, 150 questions in 150 minutes per paper, with a mock link on the portal beforehand. Uttar Pradesh and most northern states: OMR, two shifts a day. No negative marking in these states.
  5. Answer key, objections and result A preliminary key opens for objections for two or three days, usually at a small fee per question; the final key and result follow within three to six weeks (AP TET 2026: examination to 21 August, result 13 September). The scorecard shows marks and qualifying status.
  6. Certificate and recruitment The TET certificate — lifetime since 2021 — is downloaded from the portal or DigiLocker. It is a condition for the state’s teacher recruitment: the DSC in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, where TET marks carry a 20 per cent weightage in the merit, the Assistant Teacher recruitment in Uttar Pradesh, and the PSC-run recruitments in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Exam pattern

State TET exam pattern and marking

State TETs follow the NCTE frame that CTET uses: two papers of 150 multiple-choice questions, one mark each, two and a half hours, five sections of 30 in Paper I and a 60-question subject block in Paper II. What changes by state is the mode (computer-based in the south, OMR in the north), the language papers, the qualifying percentage and any additional papers.

Paper I — classes I to V (TG TET, AP TET, UPTET, K-TET Category I all follow this).
SectionQuestionsMarks
Child Development and Pedagogy3030
Language I (Telugu, Urdu, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and others as the state offers)3030
Language II (English)3030
Mathematics3030
Environmental Studies3030
Total150150 — 2 hours 30 minutes
Paper II — classes VI to VIII.
SectionQuestionsMarks
Child Development and Pedagogy3030
Language I3030
Language II (English)3030
Mathematics and Science, or Social Studies6060
Total150150 — 2 hours 30 minutes
How the states differ.
StateModeNegative markingExtra papers or features
TelanganaComputer-based, sessions over a weekNonePaper I-A for regular schools and Paper I-B for special education; Telugu, Urdu, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Bengali, Gujarati, Sanskrit as Language I
Andhra PradeshComputer-based over two to three weeksNonePaper I-A, I-B (special education), II-A, II-B; TET marks weighted 20 per cent in the DSC merit
Uttar PradeshOMR, two shifts a dayNoneHindi and a choice of English, Urdu or Sanskrit; certificates through the UPESSC portal
KeralaOMRNoneFour categories: I (lower primary), II (upper primary), III (high school), IV (language, specialist and physical education teachers)
Bihar (STET)Computer-basedNonePaper I for classes IX–X and Paper II for XI–XII — a secondary-stage test alongside the BTET

The state-specific general knowledge

In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh the Social Studies block and the EVS section draw on the state’s geography, history and administration, and Language I is examined at the standard of the state board; a CTET-prepared candidate loses 10–15 marks there without a month on the state material.

Study plan

How to prepare for State TET

A candidate who has prepared CTET is most of the way to any state TET: the pedagogy, mathematics, EVS and science content are the same NCERT-level material. The month that matters is the last one, on the state language and the state-specific content, and on the mode — a computer-based mock for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, an OMR mock for Uttar Pradesh.

Ten-week plan for a state TET.
WeeksWorkOutput
1–3Child Development and Pedagogy, then the pedagogy chapters of each content subjectNotes on every theory as a classroom implication
4–6Content from the state board textbooks for classes I–V or VI–VIII, with NCERT for the science and mathematics coreTopic checklist against the state syllabus
7–8Language I from the state board syllabus — grammar, comprehension, poetry, language pedagogy — and English as Language IITwo timed 30-question sets per language per week
9–10Previous papers of the state (TG TET 2024 and 2026, AP TET 2024 and 2026, UPTET 2021 and 2026) as full 150-question papers in the real modeEvery paper above 100; qualifying line of your category cleared with margin

What candidates who clear both CTET and the state TET do

  • They sit both — the certificates unlock different recruitments and the overlap makes the second one cheap.
  • They read the state notification for the language rule — Language I is not a free choice in most states.
  • They aim above the line — in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh the TET score carries 20 per cent weightage in the DSC merit, so 60 per cent is the floor, not the target.
  • They practise the real mode — a CBT with a mock link on the portal in the south; a 150-bubble OMR in the north.

Practice on this site

State TET syllabus State TET previous year papers State TET mock tests CTET guide Telangana teaching posts Andhra Pradesh teaching posts

Sources

Official notifications and sources

Checked 15 September 2026 against the state portals that were reachable and the published notifications; where a portal was down the dates are as published in the notification and reported this month. The conducting body’s notification is the only authority on dates, fees and qualifying marks for your state.

Official portals

Telangana — Directorate of School Education (TG TET) Telangana — TG TET application portal Andhra Pradesh — AP TET results portal (aptet.apcfss.in during applications) Andhra Pradesh — Commissionerate of School Education Uttar Pradesh — UP Education Service Selection Commission (UPTET) Kerala — K-TET (Pareeksha Bhavan) Himachal Pradesh — HP Board of School Education (HP TET) Gujarat — State Examination Board (TET) Tamil Nadu — Teachers Recruitment Board (TNTET) Bihar — BSEB STET Rajasthan — Board of Secondary Education (REET) Haryana — Board of School Education (HTET) West Bengal — Board of Primary Education (WB TET) Odisha — Board of Secondary Education (OTET) CTET — the central frame the state tests follow

Exam resources

Everything for State TET

Six resource pages, each kept in step with the latest official notification.

State TET SyllabusState TET syllabus — the common pedagogy and content framework, plus the state-specific language and general knowledge components.State TET Exam PatternState TET exam pattern 2026 — Paper 1 and Paper 2 sections of 150 questions, CBT and OMR modes, qualifying marks in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, UP and Kerala.State TET Previous PapersState TET previous year papers — identifying the state-specific content and pedagogy question style for your particular state.State TET Mock TestsState TET mock tests — practising the shared framework with CTET material, plus state-specific and language preparation.State TET PreparationState TET preparation — combining CTET-shared preparation with state language and state-specific content work.State TET Study MaterialState TET study material — pedagogy, mathematics, science and social studies notes, plus guidance on state-specific preparation.

Related

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Questions

State TET — FAQs

How is a State TET different from CTET?

The framework is shared, but three things differ. One of the language papers is usually the state language, and genuine proficiency is expected rather than familiarity. Many state TETs include state-specific history, geography, culture and administrative content that CTET does not. And recognition differs — a state TET certificate is generally valid for appointments within that state, while CTET has wider recognition, particularly for central government schools.

Can I prepare for CTET and a State TET together?

Yes, and it is the efficient approach. Child development and pedagogy, subject pedagogy and content at the relevant class levels are common to both, so one preparation covers most of the ground. The additions are the state language paper and the state-specific general knowledge, which need their own work. Prepared this way, a candidate can sit both and hold two certificates for little more than the effort of one.

Does a State TET certificate get me a teaching job?

No. Like CTET, it is a qualifying examination that establishes eligibility to be appointed as a teacher within that state’s school system. Actual appointment requires applying to the relevant recruitment process run by the state education department or the schools concerned, each of which has its own selection procedure. The certificate is a precondition for applying rather than an outcome in itself.

What are the state TET 2026 exam dates?

Telangana held TG TET June 2026 as a computer-based test from 16 to 22 June and has declared the result. Andhra Pradesh held AP TET 2026 from 5 to 21 August and declared the result on 13 September 2026. Uttar Pradesh held UPTET 2026 on 2, 3 and 4 July on OMR and released certificates on 7 September. Kerala ran K-TET in February 2026 and Himachal Pradesh its June 2026 session. The next sessions — including any second Telangana or AP session — are announced on the portals; CTET is on 12–13 December 2026.

What is the state TET exam pattern?

The NCTE frame: Paper I for classes I–V with Child Development and Pedagogy, Language I, Language II, Mathematics and Environmental Studies at 30 questions each, and Paper II for classes VI–VIII with CDP and two languages at 30 each plus 60 questions in Mathematics and Science or Social Studies — 150 questions, 150 marks, 2 hours 30 minutes, no negative marking in the large states. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh test on computer; Uttar Pradesh and Kerala on OMR.

What are the qualifying marks for TS TET and AP TET?

60 per cent (90 of 150) for OC candidates, 50 per cent (75) for BC, and 40 per cent (60) for SC, ST and differently-abled candidates, in both states. Uttar Pradesh uses 60 per cent for general and 55 for reserved categories. The certificate is valid for life, and in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh the TET score also carries a 20 per cent weightage in the DSC recruitment merit.

Is a state TET valid outside the state?

Generally no — it establishes eligibility for that state’s government, local-body and aided schools. CTET is the certificate for KVS, NVS, UT schools and CBSE-affiliated private schools, and several states accept CTET for their own posts in place of the state test. A candidate who wants both routes takes both; the content overlap is about 80 per cent.

Can I write the state TET while in the final year of B.Ed or D.El.Ed?

Yes, in every large state: candidates appearing in the final year of the qualifying course may apply, and the certificate takes effect when the course is passed. The qualifying course and the percentage conditions are the NCTE ones — senior secondary with 50 per cent plus D.El.Ed for Paper I, graduation with B.Ed or D.El.Ed for Paper II, with 5 per cent relaxation for reserved categories.

Is there negative marking in state TETs?

Not in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh or Kerala, and not in CTET. Attempt every question. A few states have used a deduction in specific tests, so read the marking rule in the current notification of your state before assuming.

Are there free state TET mock tests?

Yes. The free mock tests here follow the 150-question, two-and-a-half-hour frame with the Paper I and Paper II section splits, without negative marking, and can be taken on screen to match the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh computer-based mode. Pair them with the previous-year papers of your own state for the language and state-content sections.

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