CTET Qualifying Marks 2026: Category-wise Pass Marks and Cut Off
CTET Qualifying Marks 2026: Category-wise Pass Marks and Cut Off
Search for "CTET cut off" and you will find a dozen pages with neat tables, category columns and confident numbers. Most of them mix up two different things. CTET does not have a merit cut off at all. It has a fixed pass mark, and CBSE has written that pass mark down in one place.
This page gives you that one official rule, explains what happens for SC, ST, OBC and differently abled candidates, and clears up why the figure 82 keeps showing up as if CBSE announced it. We also cover what score you should actually aim for in the December 2026 exam, and how to check and verify your marks once the result is out. For everything else about the exam, keep our CTET complete guide open in another tab.
The One Official Rule: 60% Means 90 Out of 150
The CTET September 2026 Information Bulletin (section 9) quotes the NCTE notification dated 11.02.2011. It says a person who scores 60% or more in the TET exam will be considered a TET pass.
Each CTET paper has 150 one-mark questions, so 60% works out to exactly 90 marks out of 150. This applies to Paper 1 and Paper 2 separately. If you take both papers, each paper is judged on its own. You can pass one and fail the other.
There is no negative marking, and every question carries the same single mark. So "90 marks" simply means 90 correct answers. Our exam pattern page has the full section split if you want to see where those 150 questions come from.
CTET Qualifying Marks Category-wise
Here is where most confusion starts. The bulletin says school managements (government, local bodies, government aided and unaided) may consider giving concessions to candidates from SC, ST, OBC, differently abled and similar categories, according to their own reservation policy. It does not print a separate figure for any category.
So if you are asking about CTET qualifying marks for OBC, the honest answer has two parts. CBSE's own line is 60%. Whether 55% is enough for you depends on the school or recruiting body where you apply, and that body's notification is the document to read.
Why So Many Websites Show 82 as a CBSE Rule
55% of 150 is 82.5. Several states and recruiting bodies have used a 55% relaxation for reserved categories, and over the years that figure got copied into "CTET cut off" tables as if CBSE had fixed it. The number is real in some recruitment rules. The claim that CBSE sets it is not.
Why does this matter to you? Three practical reasons:
- Rounding differs. 82.5 has to become a whole number. Some employers treat it as 82, some as 83. One mark can decide whether you are eligible.
- Your certificate may still say something else. Your mark sheet reports your score. How a particular employer reads that score for a reserved category is their decision.
- Not every employer offers the concession. The bulletin says managements "may consider" it. That is permission, not a promise.
Our honest view: if you are from a reserved category, do not plan your preparation around 82. Plan around 90. If you cross 90, the concession question never comes up, and your score works for every employer that accepts CTET.
Qualifying Marks vs Cut Off: Not the Same Thing
CTET is a pass or fail eligibility test. CBSE does not publish a rank, a merit list or a ranking cut off for it. The job selection happens later, through a separate recruitment exam or process run by KVS, NVS, a state or a school. Those bodies set their own cut offs.
The bulletin is clear that qualifying CTET does not give anyone a right to a job. It is only one of the eligibility conditions. It also says schools should give weightage to CTET scores in recruitment, which is why a higher score can still help you after you pass.
We are collecting verified recruitment cut off data on our verified cut off data for Paper 1 page and the matching Paper 2 cut off page. Data is still being added, so treat those pages as a work in progress and check the recruiting body's own notice too.
The 5% Relaxation You Keep Hearing About Is Different
Many candidates confuse two separate relaxations. The NCTE note allows relaxation of up to 5% in the qualifying marks of the minimum educational qualification for SC, ST, OBC and differently abled candidates. That is about your Class 12 or graduation percentage when you check whether you can sit for CTET.
It has nothing to do with the 90-mark pass line in the CTET paper itself. If your doubt is about whether your 12th or graduation marks are enough, read our eligibility guide, which covers the NCTE options and the B.Ed position for Paper 1.
What Score Should You Target?
This part is an ExamAtlas suggestion, not an official number. We suggest you aim for 100 or more in practice. There is no negative marking, so every question you attempt is a free chance, but exam-day nerves, OMR mistakes and one tough section can easily cost you 8 to 10 marks. A 10-mark buffer above 90 is sensible.
The table below is illustrative only. It shows one way to reach about 100. Your own split should follow your strong and weak areas.
Pedagogy questions appear inside every section, not just CDP. Candidates who treat pedagogy as a separate subject often lose marks in Maths and EVS. The exam is now on 12 and 13 December 2026, which gives you about 14 extra weeks. Use them. Our preparation strategy page has a week-by-week plan.
How do you know if you are really crossing 90? Only timed full papers tell you that. The CTET Paper 1 test series has 10 full tests, free and bilingual. Take one a week, note your score each time, and see whether you stay above 90 consistently, not just once.
How to Check Your CTET Result and Score
CBSE has not announced the result date for the December 2026 exam. The earlier tentative "end of October" timeline no longer applies after the postponement. When the result is out, this is how it works as per the bulletin:
- The result will be published on the official site, ctet.nic.in.
- Mark sheets for all candidates, and eligibility certificates for candidates who pass, are issued in digital form through DigiLocker.
- DigiLocker accounts are created for candidates who appear, and the login details are sent to the mobile number registered with CBSE. Keep that number active.
- These documents are digitally signed, legally valid under the IT Act, and carry an encrypted QR code that can be verified through the DigiLocker app.
- Check your section-wise marks and total against 90. If you have both papers, check each separately.
Once you pass, the certificate is valid for life. A qualified candidate can also appear again to improve the score, which is useful if an employer gives weightage to CTET marks.
Answer Key Challenge: Verify Your Marks Before the Result
CBSE displays the OMR answer sheets and answer keys on ctet.nic.in through a public notice. The window to challenge is likely to be open for 2 to 3 days, so do not wait for the last evening. The date for December 2026 is not announced yet.
A tip from experience: tally your OMR against the provisional key and calculate your likely score before you think about challenging. If you are at 94 or 95, one disputed question will not change your pass status. If you are at 89 or 90, it is worth checking every question carefully, because a single accepted challenge can move you across the line. At Rs 1000 per question, challenge only where you have a clear source.
FAQs
What is the CTET cut off 2026?
CTET has no merit cut off. The qualifying mark is 60%, which is 90 out of 150, as per the NCTE notification dated 11.02.2011 quoted in the CTET September 2026 Information Bulletin.
What are the CTET passing marks for General category?
90 out of 150 in each paper. This is the only figure the bulletin states.
What are the CTET qualifying marks for OBC, SC and ST?
CBSE does not fix a separate figure. School managements may give concessions as per their reservation policy. Many employers use 55%, which is 82 or 83 marks depending on how they round 82.5. Check the recruiting body's notice.
Is 82 marks enough to pass CTET?
Not by CBSE's own rule, which is 90. Some employers accept 55% for reserved categories, so 82 or 83 may work for a specific recruitment. Aim for 90 or more to stay safe everywhere.
Is there negative marking in CTET?
No. Each question is worth 1 mark and wrong answers do not reduce your score, so attempt every question.
Does CTET give a rank or merit list?
No. It is a pass or fail eligibility test. Rank and cut off come later in the recruitment process of KVS, NVS, states or schools, where your CTET score may get weightage.
Can I reappear to improve my CTET score after passing?
Yes. The bulletin allows a qualified candidate to appear again to improve the score, and there is no limit on attempts.
Your Next Step
Take one full timed Paper 1 or Paper 2 practice test this week and write down your score. If it is below 90, list the two sections where you lost the most marks and give them the first four weeks of your plan. If it is already above 100, keep one full test a week going until December so the habit holds on exam day.