CTET vs KTET Syllabus Comparison (2026)
By EasyCTET Research Team · Last checked: 3 October 2026 · Sources: CBSE CTET Information Bulletin (September 2026), Kerala K-TET Notification (September 2026) and the official K-TET syllabus documents.
Short answer. About 92% of the topics in CTET Paper 1 also appear in KTET Category 1 (79 CTET topics compared: 40 the same, 33 similar).
For CTET Paper 2 and KTET Category 2 it is about 74% (124 topics: 50 the same, 42 similar; the count covers the maths, science and social studies streams together, and a candidate takes only one stream).
KTET Categories 3 and 4 are a different kind of exam and overlap very little.
How we counted
We listed every topic in the official CTET syllabus for each paper, then checked whether the KTET category's official syllabus covers it. A topic counts as Same if the syllabus wording and scope match, and Similar if the topic appears with a different focus or depth. The percentage above is (Same + Similar) divided by the number of CTET topics for that paper. It tells you how much of the CTET syllabus also helps for KTET, not the other way round.
Spot-check, 3 October 2026: every child-development topic for Category 1 and Category 2, and the Category 1 maths and EVS topics, were re-read against the official KTET syllabus files. The labels held.
Exam facts side by side
| CTET | KTET | |
|---|---|---|
| Conducted by | CBSE | Kerala Pareeksha Bhavan |
| Papers / categories | Paper 1 (classes 1–5), Paper 2 (classes 6–8) | Category 1 (classes 1–5), 2 (classes 6–8), 3 (high school), 4 (language and specialist teachers) |
| Questions and marks | 150 MCQs, 150 marks | 150 MCQs, 150 marks |
| Duration | 2½ hours | 2½ hours |
| Negative marking | No | No |
| Paper language | Bilingual Hindi/English; Language I and II chosen from a list | Malayalam, English, Kannada, Tamil (Category 3 in English only, except language subjects) |
| Pass mark | 60% (90 marks). The bulletin leaves any concession for reserved categories to each employer's policy. What each employer accepts | General 60% (90); SC/ST/OBC/OEC 55% (82); persons with disabilities 50% (75), under the Kerala government order of 15 March 2017 cited in the notification |
| Certificate validity | Lifetime | Lifetime. The central government extended all TET certificates from 7 years to lifetime on 3 June 2021, with effect from 2011. |
| Retaking after you pass | Allowed, to improve your score | Not allowed in the same category |
| Can CTET replace KTET? | For Kerala teacher posts, yes for Categories 1 and 2: CTET Paper 1 is accepted in place of KTET Category 1, and Paper 2 in place of Category 2. Not in place of Category 3. Does CTET count in other states? | |
| Next exam | See the CTET website for the current schedule | 14–15 November 2026 (September 2026 notification) |
Eligibility rules differ by exam and change over time. Always read the official bulletin before applying.
Paper 1 and KTET Category 1 (classes 1–5)
| Subject area | CTET topics | Same in KTET | Similar | Not in KTET |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Development and Pedagogy | 23 | 20 | 2 | 1 |
| Language I | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Language II | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Mathematics | 18 | 12 | 3 | 3 |
| Environmental Studies | 18 | 4 | 14 | 0 |
Show all 79 topics
| Topic | Area | In KTET? |
|---|---|---|
| Concept of development and its relationship with learning | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Principles of the development of children | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Influence of heredity and environment | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Socialization processes: teacher, parents, peers | Child Development and Pedagogy | Not found |
| Piaget, Kohlberg and Vygotsky: constructs and critical perspectives | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Child-centered and progressive education | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Critical perspective of the construct of intelligence | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Multi-dimensional intelligence | Child Development and Pedagogy | Similar |
| Language and thought | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Gender as a social construct; gender roles and bias | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Individual differences; diversity of language, caste, gender, community, religion | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Assessment for learning vs of learning; school-based assessment, CCE | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Formulating questions to assess readiness, learning and critical thinking | Child Development and Pedagogy | Similar |
| Learners from diverse, disadvantaged and deprived backgrounds | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Children with learning difficulties and impairment | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Talented, creative and specially abled learners | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| How children think and learn; why children fail in school | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Basic processes of teaching and learning; learning as a social activity | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Child as problem solver and scientific investigator | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Alternative conceptions; errors as steps in learning | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Cognition and emotions | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Motivation and learning | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Factors contributing to learning: personal and environmental | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Comprehension: unseen passages, inference, grammar, verbal ability | Language I | Similar |
| Learning and acquisition | Language I | Similar |
| Principles of language teaching | Language I | Similar |
| Role of listening and speaking; functions of language | Language I | Similar |
| Critical perspective on role of grammar | Language I | Similar |
| Teaching language in a diverse classroom; difficulties, errors, disorders | Language I | Similar |
| Language skills | Language I | Similar |
| Evaluating comprehension and proficiency | Language I | Similar |
| Teaching-learning materials | Language I | Similar |
| Remedial teaching | Language I | Similar |
| Comprehension: unseen passages, inference, grammar, verbal ability | Language II | Similar |
| Learning and acquisition | Language II | Same |
| Principles of language teaching | Language II | Same |
| Role of listening and speaking; functions of language | Language II | Similar |
| Critical perspective on role of grammar | Language II | Not found |
| Teaching language in a diverse classroom; difficulties, errors, disorders | Language II | Similar |
| Language skills | Language II | Same |
| Evaluating comprehension and proficiency | Language II | Same |
| Teaching-learning materials | Language II | Similar |
| Remedial teaching | Language II | Not found |
| Geometry; shapes and spatial understanding | Mathematics | Similar |
| Solids around us | Mathematics | Not found |
| Numbers | Mathematics | Same |
| Addition and subtraction | Mathematics | Same |
| Multiplication | Mathematics | Same |
| Division | Mathematics | Same |
| Measurement: weight, time, volume | Mathematics | Same |
| Data handling | Mathematics | Not found |
| Patterns | Mathematics | Similar |
| Money | Mathematics | Same |
| Nature of mathematics / logical thinking | Mathematics | Same |
| Place of mathematics in curriculum | Mathematics | Same |
| Language of mathematics | Mathematics | Same |
| Community mathematics | Mathematics | Not found |
| Evaluation | Mathematics | Same |
| Problems of teaching | Mathematics | Similar |
| Diagnostic and remedial teaching | Mathematics | Same |
| Error analysis | Mathematics | Same |
| Family and friends: relationships, work and play, animals, plants | Environmental Studies | Same |
| Food | Environmental Studies | Same |
| Shelter | Environmental Studies | Same |
| Water | Environmental Studies | Same |
| Travel | Environmental Studies | Similar |
| Things we make and do | Environmental Studies | Similar |
| Concept and scope of EVS | Environmental Studies | Similar |
| Significance of EVS, integrated EVS | Environmental Studies | Similar |
| EVS and environmental education | Environmental Studies | Similar |
| Learning principles | Environmental Studies | Similar |
| Scope and relation to science and social science | Environmental Studies | Similar |
| Approaches of presenting concepts | Environmental Studies | Similar |
| Activities | Environmental Studies | Similar |
| Experimentation / practical work | Environmental Studies | Similar |
| Discussion | Environmental Studies | Similar |
| CCE | Environmental Studies | Similar |
| Teaching material / aids | Environmental Studies | Similar |
| Problems | Environmental Studies | Similar |
Paper 2 and KTET Category 2 (classes 6–8)
| Subject area | CTET topics | Same in KTET | Similar | Not in KTET |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Development and Pedagogy | 23 | 19 | 3 | 1 |
| Language I | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Language II | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Mathematics | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| Science | 17 | 5 | 10 | 2 |
| Social Studies | 53 | 9 | 16 | 28 |
Show all 124 topics
| Topic | Area | In KTET? |
|---|---|---|
| Concept of development and its relationship with learning | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Principles of the development of children | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Influence of heredity and environment | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Socialization processes: teacher, parents, peers | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Piaget, Kohlberg and Vygotsky: constructs and critical perspectives | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Child-centered and progressive education | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Critical perspective of the construct of intelligence | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Multi-dimensional intelligence | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Language and thought | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Gender as a social construct; gender roles and bias | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Individual differences; diversity of language, caste, gender, community, religion | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Assessment for learning vs of learning; school-based assessment, CCE | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Formulating questions to assess readiness, learning and critical thinking | Child Development and Pedagogy | Similar |
| Learners from diverse, disadvantaged and deprived backgrounds | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Children with learning difficulties and impairment | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Talented, creative and specially abled learners | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| How children think and learn; why children fail in school | Child Development and Pedagogy | Similar |
| Basic processes of teaching and learning; learning as a social activity | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Child as problem solver and scientific investigator | Child Development and Pedagogy | Similar |
| Alternative conceptions; errors as steps in learning | Child Development and Pedagogy | Not found |
| Cognition and emotions | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Motivation and learning | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Factors contributing to learning: personal and environmental | Child Development and Pedagogy | Same |
| Comprehension: unseen passages, inference, grammar, verbal ability | Language I | Similar |
| Learning and acquisition | Language I | Similar |
| Principles of language teaching | Language I | Similar |
| Role of listening and speaking; functions of language | Language I | Similar |
| Critical perspective on role of grammar | Language I | Similar |
| Teaching language in a diverse classroom; difficulties, errors, disorders | Language I | Similar |
| Language skills | Language I | Similar |
| Evaluating comprehension and proficiency | Language I | Similar |
| Teaching-learning materials | Language I | Similar |
| Remedial teaching | Language I | Similar |
| Comprehension: unseen passages, inference, grammar, verbal ability | Language II | Similar |
| Learning and acquisition | Language II | Same |
| Principles of language teaching | Language II | Same |
| Role of listening and speaking; functions of language | Language II | Same |
| Critical perspective on role of grammar | Language II | Same |
| Teaching language in a diverse classroom; difficulties, errors, disorders | Language II | Same |
| Language skills | Language II | Same |
| Evaluating comprehension and proficiency | Language II | Same |
| Teaching-learning materials | Language II | Same |
| Remedial teaching | Language II | Same |
| Number system: numbers, whole numbers, integers, fractions | Mathematics | Same |
| Algebra: introduction, ratio and proportion | Mathematics | Same |
| Geometry: basic ideas, shapes, symmetry, construction, mensuration | Mathematics | Similar |
| Data handling | Mathematics | Same |
| Nature of mathematics / logical thinking | Mathematics | Same |
| Place of mathematics in curriculum | Mathematics | Same |
| Language of mathematics | Mathematics | Same |
| Community mathematics | Mathematics | Not found |
| Evaluation | Mathematics | Same |
| Problems of teaching | Mathematics | Similar |
| Diagnostic and remedial teaching | Mathematics | Same |
| Food: sources, components, cleaning | Science | Similar |
| Materials of daily use | Science | Similar |
| The world of the living | Science | Similar |
| Moving things, people and ideas | Science | Similar |
| How things work: electric current, circuits, magnets | Science | Similar |
| Natural phenomena | Science | Similar |
| Natural resources | Science | Similar |
| Nature and structure of sciences | Science | Similar |
| Natural science: aims and objectives | Science | Same |
| Understanding and appreciating science | Science | Similar |
| Approaches / integrated approach | Science | Same |
| Observation, experiment, discovery | Science | Same |
| Innovation | Science | Not found |
| Text material / aids | Science | Same |
| Evaluation: cognitive, psychomotor, affective | Science | Same |
| Problems | Science | Similar |
| Remedial teaching | Science | Not found |
| When, where and how | Social Studies | Similar |
| Earliest societies | Social Studies | Similar |
| First farmers and herders | Social Studies | Similar |
| First cities | Social Studies | Similar |
| Early states | Social Studies | Not found |
| New ideas | Social Studies | Not found |
| First empire | Social Studies | Not found |
| Contacts with distant lands | Social Studies | Not found |
| Political developments | Social Studies | Not found |
| Culture and science | Social Studies | Not found |
| New kings and kingdoms | Social Studies | Not found |
| Sultans of Delhi | Social Studies | Not found |
| Architecture | Social Studies | Not found |
| Creation of an empire | Social Studies | Not found |
| Social change | Social Studies | Not found |
| Regional cultures | Social Studies | Not found |
| Establishment of company power | Social Studies | Similar |
| Rural life and society | Social Studies | Similar |
| Colonialism and tribal societies | Social Studies | Similar |
| Revolt of 1857-58 | Social Studies | Same |
| Women and reform | Social Studies | Similar |
| Challenging the caste system | Social Studies | Similar |
| Nationalist movement | Social Studies | Same |
| India after independence | Social Studies | Not found |
| Geography as a social study and science | Social Studies | Not found |
| Planet Earth in the solar system | Social Studies | Same |
| Globe | Social Studies | Same |
| Environment: natural and human | Social Studies | Similar |
| Air | Social Studies | Similar |
| Water | Social Studies | Not found |
| Human environment: settlement, transport, communication | Social Studies | Similar |
| Resources: natural and human | Social Studies | Similar |
| Agriculture | Social Studies | Similar |
| Diversity | Social Studies | Not found |
| Government | Social Studies | Similar |
| Local government | Social Studies | Same |
| Making a living | Social Studies | Not found |
| Democracy | Social Studies | Same |
| State government | Social Studies | Same |
| Understanding media | Social Studies | Not found |
| Unpacking gender | Social Studies | Not found |
| The Constitution | Social Studies | Not found |
| Parliamentary government | Social Studies | Not found |
| The Judiciary | Social Studies | Not found |
| Social justice and the marginalised | Social Studies | Not found |
| Concept and nature of social science | Social Studies | Same |
| Classroom processes, activities and discourse | Social Studies | Similar |
| Developing critical thinking | Social Studies | Not found |
| Enquiry / empirical evidence | Social Studies | Not found |
| Problems of teaching | Social Studies | Not found |
| Sources: primary and secondary | Social Studies | Not found |
| Project work | Social Studies | Not found |
| Evaluation | Social Studies | Same |
What is in KTET but not in CTET
- Kerala-specific content, including Kerala history, geography and economy in the Category 2 social science paper.
- Economics as a topic in Category 2 social science (growth, five-year plans, money and banking, globalisation).
- Learning theories and personality in more detail than CTET lists, and methods of studying child behaviour.
- Mother-tongue papers in Malayalam, Tamil or Kannada, with Kerala literature and culture.
- Category 3: adolescent psychology, learning theories and teaching aptitude (40 marks) plus 80 marks of subject content for classes 8–10.
- Category 4: specialist and language-teacher content, including physical education and arts.
Which should you prepare for?
- Aiming for primary classes (1–5): CTET Paper 1 and KTET Category 1 share most of the child development and pedagogy material, so one study plan covers both. Add the Kerala-specific parts for KTET. A CTET Paper 1 pass is also accepted in place of KTET Category 1 for Kerala posts.
- Aiming for classes 6–8: CTET Paper 2 and KTET Category 2 overlap well in pedagogy and in maths and science content; the social science sections overlap only in part.
- High school or specialist teachers: KTET Categories 3 and 4 need subject-level study that CTET does not cover.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the CTET syllabus enough for KTET?
Only partly. The child development, pedagogy and language-pedagogy sections overlap well, but KTET adds Kerala-specific content, a mother-tongue paper, and in some categories subject content that CTET does not test. Use the tables above to see exactly what is missing.
Do both exams have negative marking?
No. Both state that there is no negative marking.
What is the pass mark?
CTET: 60% (90 of 150). KTET: 60% (90 marks) for General, 55% (82 marks) for SC/ST/OBC/OEC, and 50% (75 marks) for PwD per Kerala Pareeksha Bhavan. Read the comprehensive breakdown: KTET Category 1, 2, 3 Pass Mark Ethra. For CTET, any relaxation is set by the employer: see CTET passing marks by employer.
Can I use CTET instead of KTET for a Kerala teaching job?
For lower primary and upper primary posts, yes. Kerala PSC notifications, citing G.O.(P) No. 6/2024/G.Edn dated 01.02.2024, accept CTET Paper 1 in place of KTET Category 1 and Paper 2 in place of Category 2. CTET is not accepted in place of Category 3. Read our complete guide: Kerala PSC LPST & UPST Qualification Rules.
Sources
- CBSE, CTET September 2026 Information Bulletin, Appendix I and clauses 9 and 11.
- Kerala Pareeksha Bhavan, K-TET September 2026 Notification (pass marks and retake rule on page 16) and the Category I, II, III and IV syllabus documents (marked K-TET 2012).
- Kerala PSC, L P School Teacher notification, Category No. 239–241/2025, for CTET in place of KTET.
- Press Information Bureau, TET certificate validity extended from 7 years to lifetime (3 June 2021).
This comparison is an independent study aid. It is not issued by CBSE or the Kerala Pareeksha Bhavan.