The Central Board of Secondary Education prescribes the CTET syllabus for Paper I & Paper II separately. The CTET Paper I syllabus includes topics from Child Development and Pedagogy, Language-I, Language-II, Mathematics and Environmental Studies and Paper II syllabus comprises topics from Child Development and Pedagogy, Language-I, Language-II, Mathematics and Science or Social Studies/Social Sciences.
Optimistic candidates look at this extension in CTET exam date as a boon, owing to the additional preparation time they have got. It is recommended to devise a preparation plan revolving around the CTET syllabus 2021 to inch closer towards success.
CTET syllabus for the Paper I is segregated into five sections whereas the Paper II of CTET will comprise four sections. ‘Child Development and Pedagogy’ section remains common in both the papers with different difficulty levels.
Candidates aspiring to become a primary-level teacher (class I to V) can appear in Paper I. On the other hand, CTET Paper II is conducted for aspirants seeking teaching jobs at elementary level (class VI to VII). However, candidates can appear for both the papers to compete for teaching jobs at either primary or elementary level.
Read this article to fetch complete information on CTET syllabus 2021, and get insights on the exam pattern.
Table of Contents
CTET Syllabus – Outline
- CBSE has the sole authority to define/amend the CTET syllabus
- CBSE conducts the CTET exam twice in a year – July & December
- As per the CTET syllabus, Paper I will have questions from five sections, namely:
- Child Development and Pedagogy
- Language – I
- Language – II
- Mathematics
- Environmental Studies
- As per the CTET syllabus, Paper II will have questions from four sections, namely:
- Child Development and Pedagogy
- Language – I
- Language – II
- Mathematics and Science OR Social Studies/Social Science
- CTET is an offline exam (pen & paper based)
- Candidates have to face 150 questions in each CTET paper (Paper I & II)
Read More : CTET Exam Pattern – Paper 1 & Paper 2 Pattern, Marking, Syllabus
CTET Syllabus 2021 – Paper I
Paper I of CTET will have as many as 150 questions divided into five sections. The questions are based on various topics under each section. Candidates can check the section-wise topics along with the number of questions under each section of CTET Paper 1 in the table below.
CTET Syllabus for Paper I
| Sections | Topics | Number of Questions |
| Child Development and Pedagogy | Development of a Primary School Child | 15 |
| Concept of Inclusive education and understanding children with special needs | 5 | |
| Learning and Pedagogy | 10 | |
| Language – 1 | Language Comprehension | 15 |
| Pedagogy of Language Development | 15 | |
| Language – 2 | Language Comprehension | 15 |
| Pedagogy of Language Development | 15 | |
| Mathematics | Content (numbers, solving simple equations, Multiplication, geometry patterns, time, measurement, data handling, solids, Volume, Money, etc.) | 15 |
| Pedagogical issues | 15 | |
| Environmental Studies | Content (Family and Friends, food, water, shelter, travel, etc) | 15 |
| Pedagogical Issues | 15 |
CTET Syllabus 2021 – Paper II
As per the CTET syllabus and exam pattern for Paper 2, candidates have to answer a total of 150 questions divided into four different sections. While the candidates will have to answer the questions from 3 sections compulsorily (Child Development and Pedagogy, Language – I, Language – II), they can choose the 4th section from any of the following two options:
- Mathematics and Science – If you want to teach either Mathematics or Science
- Social Studies/Social Science – If your teaching forte lies in Social Studies
Candidates can check the table below to get acquainted with the section-wise topics included in CTET syllabus for Paper II.
CTET Syllabus for Paper II
| Sections | Topics | Number of Questions |
| Child Development and Pedagogy | Development of an Elementary School Child | 15 |
| Concept of Inclusive education and understanding children with special needs | 5 | |
| Learning and Pedagogy | 10 | |
| Language – 1 | Language Comprehension | 15 |
| Pedagogy of Language Development | 15 | |
| Language – 2 | Language Comprehension | 15 |
| Pedagogy of Language Development | 15 | |
| Mathematics and Science | Mathematics Number system, Algebra, Geometry, Mensuration, Data Handling Pedagogical issues | 20 |
| Pedagogical issues | 10 | |
| Science Food, Materials, The world of the living, Moving things, people and ideas, How things work, Natural phenomena and resources | 20 | |
| Pedagogical issues | 10 | |
| Social Studies/ Social Science | History, Geography, Social and Political Life | 40 |
| Pedagogical issues | 20 |
CTET Syllabus – Important Points for Exam Preparation
- Questions in the ‘Child Development and Pedagogy’ section of both Paper I and II will primarily have an emphasis on educational psychology of teaching and learning, which is relevant to the specified age groups
- The Mathematics and Environmental Studies of Paper I will have questions to test the basic concepts, problem-solving abilities and pedagogical understanding and applications of both the subjects
- In Paper II, questions in Mathematics & Science or Social Studies will be related to the basic concepts of the subjects along with the applications of the subjects
- The Language I and II sections will test the proficiency related to the medium of instruction, elements of language, communication and comprehension abilities
- Candidates have to choose two different languages from the available options (mentioned in the table below) to attempt mandatory Language I & II sections in both the papers. Apart from the language sections, candidates can access other sections in either English or hindi
| English | Gujarati | Marathi | Sanskrit |
| Hindi | Kannada | Mizo | Tamil |
| Assamese | Khasi | Nepali | Telugu |
| Bengali | Malayalam | Oriya | Tibetan |
| Garo | Manipuri | Punjabi | Urdu |
CTET Exam Pattern 2021
Apart from the CTET syllabus, candidates must have proper knowledge of the exam pattern to make an effective study plan. Check out the table below to know the paper-wise exam pattern for CTET 2021.
CTET 2021 Exam Pattern
| Particulars | Paper I | Paper II |
| Mode of Exam | Offline | Offline |
| Type of Questions | Multiple Choice Questions | Multiple Choice Questions |
| Duration of Exam | 2.5 hours | 2.5 hours |
| Sections |
|
|
| Number of Questions | 150 | 150 |
| Marking Scheme | 1 mark for the correct response | 1 mark for the correct response |
| Negative Marking | No | No |
Expert Tips to Prepare for CTET 2021
With the help of CTET syllabus, exam pattern and the right guidance, candidates can optimize their study plan. Here are some of the expert tips to prepare for the CTET 2021 examination:
- The CTET question paper is designed as per the syllabus covered in the NCERT textbooks. Hence, candidates must primarily pay attention to their NCERT textbooks
- Go through the previous years’ question papers and analyse the topics which repeat every year
- Brush up your calculation skills by learning some easy tricks to improve your speed and accuracy to solve the mathematics section
- Prepare a study plan segregated into a daily to-do list and make sure you follow it religiously
- Practice the online mock tests to optimize your competence to complete the question paper within the given time.
Books to Prepare for CTET 2021
Initially, candidates must grasp the understanding of basic concepts from NCERT textbooks. Afterwards, they can move to the below-mentioned books for advanced level preparation.
Recommended Books for CTET Preparation
| Paper I | Paper II |
| CTET & TETs for Class I-V Mathematics & Pedagogy by Arihant Experts for Mathematics | CTET Success Master Paper-II Teacher Selection for Class VI-VIII Maths & Science by Arihant Experts for Science/Mathematics teachers) |
| CTET & TETs Child Development & Pedagogy (Paper I & II) by Arihant Experts for Child Development and Pedagogy | A Complete Resource for CTET: Child Development and Pedagogy by Sandeep Kumar for Child Development and Pedagogy (compulsory) |
| CTET & TETs Environmental Studies & Pedagogy Class I-V by Arihant Experts for Environmental Studies | CTET Success Master Science Social/Studies Paper-II for Class VI-VIII by Arihant Experts for social science/social studies teachers |
CTET Previous Years’ Question Papers
As stated above, previous years’ question papers of CTET come in handy while preparing for this exam. It’s an effective practice to solve the CTET question papers of previous years’ and analyze your speed & accuracy. You can also figure out the trend of topics/questions that repeat more often in the CTET exam.
Click here to download CTET previous years’ question papers.
CTET Syllabus – FAQs
✔️ Who will prescribe the CTET syllabus 2021?
The Central Board of Secondary Education conducts the CTET 2021. Hence, CBSE has the sole authority to prescribe the CTET syllabus 2021.
✔️ Is the syllabus for CTET 2021 different for both the papers?
The CTET syllabus for both the papers is almost similar. The difference between both the papers lies in the exam pattern and the difficulty level of the questions.
✔️ How many sections do I need to prepare for taking CTET 2021?
As per the CTET syllabus for Paper 1, candidates have to answer questions from a total of five sections including Child Development and Pedagogy, Language I (compulsory), Language II (compulsory), Mathematics and Environmental Studies. On the other hand, the question paper for CTET paper 2 will have questions divided into four sections - Child Development and Pedagogy, Language I (compulsory), Language II (compulsory) and Mathematics & Science or Social Studies.
✔️ Why is the CTET exam divided into Paper I and Paper II?
Candidates who aspire to teach the students at primary level (Class 1 to 5) opt for Paper 1 while Paper II is recommended for the aspirants seeking teaching jobs at elementary level (class 6 to 8). However, candidates looking for teaching jobs at any level (primary & elementary) can take both Paper I & II.
✔️ Which section of CTET carries the maximum weightage?
Paper I of CTET will have five sections carrying equal weightage. In CTET Paper II, the section with the subject choice between Mathematics & Science or Social Studies will have the maximum weightage of 60 marks.
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