CTET Paper 2 2026: Maths-Science vs Social Studies, Pattern and Prep
CTET Paper 2 2026: Maths-Science vs Social Studies, Pattern and Prep
CTET Paper 2 is the paper for anyone who wants to teach Classes VI to VIII. It looks like Paper 1 from a distance, with 150 questions and 2.5 hours, but one section changes everything: you have to pick either Mathematics and Science or Social Studies, and that single choice decides 60 of your 150 marks.
This guide explains who should take Paper 2, how the CTET Paper 2 exam pattern works, which optional suits your degree, the full CTET Paper 2 syllabus split from the bulletin, and a 10-week plan for the December exam. For the bigger picture, keep the CTET complete guide open in another tab.
Who takes CTET Paper 2?
Paper II is meant for candidates who want to teach Classes VI to VIII, the elementary stage in the bulletin's words. If you want to teach Classes I to V, that is Paper 1. If you want both levels, you must take both papers.
Eligibility for Paper 2 comes from NCTE norms, and the bulletin asks candidates to check ncte.gov.in. The commonly listed routes, which you should confirm there, are:
- Graduation plus a 2-year D.El.Ed (passed or in final year)
- Graduation with at least 50% plus a 1-year B.Ed (passed or appearing)
- Graduation with at least 45% plus a 1-year B.Ed as per NCTE regulations issued from time to time
- Senior Secondary with at least 50% plus a 4-year B.El.Ed, or a 4-year B.A./B.Sc.Ed or B.A.Ed/B.Sc.Ed
- Graduation with at least 50% plus a 1-year B.Ed (Special Education)
Final-year students can appear. For the full list, relaxations and the B.Ed question, read our CTET eligibility guide.
CTET Paper 2 exam pattern
All questions are MCQs with four options, one mark each, and there is no negative marking. The paper is pen and paper on an OMR sheet, and the main question paper is bilingual (Hindi and English). The full CTET exam pattern page covers both papers side by side.
Duration is 2 hours 30 minutes. Questions are based on NCERT Classes VI to VIII topics, but the difficulty and linkages can go up to the Senior Secondary level. That last line matters: a question on fractions or the Revolt of 1857 can be framed at a Class XI or XII depth.
The big choice: Maths and Science vs Social Studies
The bulletin is clear on this. A Mathematics and Science teacher takes the Maths and Science section. A Social Studies or Social Science teacher takes the Social Studies section. Any other teacher (for example, a language teacher) can choose either one.
So the first question is not "which one is easier" but "what will I teach". A CTET score in the SST optional will not help you apply for a Maths or Science TGT post, because recruiters look at subject match. Check the recruitment rules of the school system you are aiming for before you lock the option.
Which is easier? (our opinion, not an official view)
Honestly, neither is easy for everyone. Here is how it tends to play out:
- Maths and Science rewards people who can solve fast. Content is 40 of the 60 marks, and numericals are right or wrong, so a science graduate can score high. The weak spot is time: calculations eat minutes.
- Social Studies is heavier on reading. The content list covers History, Geography and Social and Political Life, which is a long list to revise. But 20 of the 60 marks are pedagogy, which an arts graduate with B.Ed can handle well.
- If you are a language graduate and scared of numericals, Social Studies usually feels safer. If you did Maths in Class XII and still enjoy it, Maths and Science can be quicker to finish.
One caveat: "easier" in the exam hall means nothing if the optional does not match the post you will apply for.
CTET Paper 2 syllabus: section-wise breakdown
The splits below are from Appendix I of the CTET September 2026 Information Bulletin. For topic depth across both papers, see the full CTET syllabus guide.
Child Development and Pedagogy (30)
The topics match Paper 1, but the child here is 11 to 14 years old. That means adolescence, peer influence, abstract thinking and moral reasoning come up more often.
- Development and its link with learning, principles of development, heredity and environment
- Socialisation (teachers, parents, peers); Piaget, Kohlberg and Vygotsky with critical perspectives
- Child-centred and progressive education; intelligence and multi-dimensional intelligence; language and thought
- Gender as a social construct; individual differences; assessment for learning vs assessment of learning; school-based assessment and CCE
- Inclusive education: disadvantaged learners, learning difficulties, talented and specially abled learners
- Learning and pedagogy: how children think and learn, why they "fail", child as problem solver and scientific investigator, errors as steps in learning, cognition and emotions, motivation
Mathematics (30 = 20 content + 10 pedagogy)
- Number System: Knowing our Numbers, Playing with Numbers, Whole Numbers, Negative Numbers and Integers, Fractions
- Algebra: Introduction to Algebra, Ratio and Proportion
- Geometry: basic geometrical ideas (2-D), elementary shapes (2-D and 3-D), symmetry (reflection), constructions with scale, protractor and compasses, mensuration; plus data handling
- Pedagogy: nature of mathematics and logical thinking, place in curriculum, language of mathematics, community mathematics, evaluation, remedial teaching, problems of teaching
Science (30 = 20 content + 10 pedagogy)
- Content: Food (sources, components, cleaning food), Materials of daily use, The World of the Living, Moving Things, People and Ideas, How things work (electric current and circuits, magnets), Natural Phenomena, Natural Resources
- Pedagogy: nature and structure of sciences, aims and objectives, understanding and appreciating science, integrated approach, observation, experiment and discovery, innovation, text material and aids, evaluation (cognitive, psychomotor, affective), problems, remedial teaching
Social Studies (60 = 40 content + 20 pedagogy)
- History: from "When, Where and How" and the earliest societies, through the first cities, early states, the first empire, new kings and kingdoms, Sultans of Delhi and the creation of an empire, to company power, rural life, colonialism and tribal societies, the Revolt of 1857 to 58, women and reform, challenging the caste system, the nationalist movement and India after independence
- Geography: geography as a social study and a science, Earth in the solar system, globe, natural and human environment, air, water, settlement, transport and communication, resources, agriculture
- Social and Political Life: diversity, government, local and state government, making a living, democracy, understanding media, unpacking gender, the Constitution, parliamentary government, the judiciary, social justice and the marginalised
- Pedagogy: concept and nature of social science, classroom processes and discourse, critical thinking, enquiry and empirical evidence, problems of teaching, primary and secondary sources, project work, evaluation
Language I and Language II (30 each)
Language I tests proficiency in your medium of instruction. The comprehension part has two unseen passages, one prose or drama and one poem. Language II must be a different language; its comprehension part has two unseen prose passages. Both carry 15 pedagogy questions: acquisition, principles of language teaching, listening and speaking, role of grammar, diverse classrooms, LSRW evaluation, teaching-learning materials and remedial teaching.
NCERT reading plan for Classes VI to VIII
The bulletin says to refer to NCERT syllabus and textbooks for Classes I to VIII. For Paper 2, the core is the VI to VIII set. Because difficulty can go up to Senior Secondary, add a quick look at related Class IX and X chapters for weak topics.
CTET Paper 1 vs Paper 2
Notice the shift: Paper 2 gives more weight to content. For the primary-level details, read our CTET Paper 1 guide.
Taking both papers
If you hold qualifications for both levels, you can appear in both. The fee for both papers is Rs 1200 for General/OBC(NCL) and Rs 600 for SC/ST/Differently abled (GST extra, non-refundable).
For timing, the original 6 September schedule had Paper II in the morning (9:30 AM to 12:00 noon) and Paper I in the evening (2:30 PM to 5:00 PM) on the same day. For December, CBSE has only said the exam will be on 12 and 13 December 2026. Which paper falls on which day has not been announced, so do not plan travel around a guess.
If you are writing both, the CDP and language pedagogy prep overlaps a lot. Candidates taking Paper 1 as well can use the free CTET Paper 1 test series (10 tests) for that paper; it is not a Paper 2 mock.
Qualifying marks for Paper 2
Under the NCTE notification dated 11 February 2011, a score of 60% or more is a pass. On 150 marks that is 90. School managements may give concessions to SC/ST/OBC and differently abled candidates under their own reservation policy; the bulletin does not fix a reserved-category figure. CTET has no rank or merit list. It is pass or fail, and passing does not guarantee a job.
10-week prep outline for December
The exam moved about 14 weeks. That is extra time, so use it. This plan leaves a few weeks of buffer before 12 December.
For daily routines and time management, read the CTET preparation strategy.
A word on resources
ExamAtlas does not have Paper 2 products yet. The free CTET Paper 1 Pedagogy Master Book and the CDP notes in the free CTET Paper 1 study material cover the common pedagogy theory (Piaget, Vygotsky, assessment, inclusive education, language pedagogy). Just remember that Paper 2 CDP targets the 11 to 14 age group, so adjust examples to adolescents.
FAQs
What is CTET Paper 2 for?
It is for candidates who want to teach Classes VI to VIII. It has 150 MCQs worth 150 marks, and the time is 2 hours 30 minutes.
Can I choose both Maths-Science and Social Studies in Paper 2?
No. You attempt one optional section of 60 questions. Maths and Science teachers take Maths and Science, SST teachers take Social Studies, and any other teacher can pick either.
Is there negative marking in CTET Paper 2?
No. Every question carries one mark and there is no negative marking, so attempt all 150.
What are the qualifying marks for CTET Paper 2?
60%, which is 90 out of 150. Any concession for reserved categories is decided by the employer, not fixed in the bulletin.
When is the CTET Paper 2 exam in December 2026?
CBSE will hold the exam on 12 and 13 December 2026. The day for each paper has not been announced yet. Your date and city will show on the CTET portal 15 days before the exam.
Which NCERT books are enough for CTET Paper 2?
NCERT Classes VI to VIII for your optional are the base. Since difficulty can go up to Senior Secondary, check related higher-class chapters for topics you find weak.
Can a B.Com graduate take the Social Studies optional?
Commerce is not named in the bulletin, so a B.Com candidate falls under "any other teacher" and can choose either. Before deciding, check the subject rules of the post you plan to apply for.
Your next step: write down the teaching post you want, match it to your optional, and start NCERT Class VI of that optional this week.