CTET Exam Analysis 2026 for 8 Feb, Check Attempts and Difficulty Level

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducted the CTET 2026 Shift 1 and 2 examination on 8 February 2026 from 9:30 pm to 12:00 pm and 2:30 pm to 5pm respectively. A large number of teaching aspirants appeared for the exam, aiming to qualify for upper primary teaching positions across India. Soon after the exam ended, candidates began sharing their experiences, highlighting the question pattern, overall difficulty level, and section-wise distribution.

This article brings you a detailed CTET Exam Analysis 2026 for Shift 1 and 2 (8 February), focusing on Paper II and I. It covers real-time student feedback, section-wise difficulty analysis, good attempt estimates, and expected performance trends. The insights shared here are based on candidate reactions and patterns observed from recent CTET examinations, helping aspirants get a clear and practical understanding of the Shift 1 and 2paper.

CTET Answer Key 2026 – Click to Check

CTET Exam Analysis 2026

CTET 2026 marks the 21st edition of the Central Teacher Eligibility Test and was conducted in offline, OMR-based mode across multiple exam centres in two shifts. Shift 1 was held for Paper II, meant for candidates aspiring to teach Classes VI to VIII. In shift 2, CTET Paper I was conducted.

The paper included 150 multiple-choice questions, each carrying 1 mark, with a total duration of 150 minutes. As per the CTET exam pattern, there was no negative marking, allowing candidates to attempt all questions without the risk of penalty. Based on early candidate feedback, the paper remained largely NCERT-centric, followed a familiar structure, and stayed in line with previous CTET exam trends, making it predictable for well-prepared aspirants.

Student Review of CTET Exam 8 Feb Shift 2

• The paper felt well balanced and closely aligned with the real demands of primary teaching.
• Child Development & Pedagogy focused strongly on meaningful learning rather than rote memorisation.
• Questions on emotional support, experiential learning, intrinsic motivation, and mastery goals encouraged teacher-like thinking.
• Theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, and Kohlberg were tested through classroom situations, making concepts like ZPD, inner speech, conservation, and moral reasoning practical and relatable.
• Inclusion, learning difficulties, ADHD, autism, scaffolding, and gender bias were given due importance, reflecting real classroom challenges.
• Hindi and English sections emphasised comprehension, values, and interpretation instead of direct grammar rules.
• Hindi questions from poetry and prose tested symbolic meaning, life values, gratitude, and word formation.
• Pedagogy-based Hindi questions checked understanding of feedback, remedial teaching, portfolio assessment, and learner interaction.
• English questions were mainly passage and poem based, focusing on vocabulary in context, inference, figurative language, and social themes.
• Both language papers required careful reading and conceptual clarity rather than guesswork.
• Mathematics balanced subject knowledge with pedagogy, which suited a primary teacher examination.
• Core topics included place value, fractions, data handling, symmetry, patterns, angles, and basic number theory.
• Pedagogical areas like assessment for learning, NIPUN Bharat Mission, Dienes’ principles, Van Hiele levels, and error analysis highlighted how children learn mathematics.
• The EVS section was strongly NCERT-oriented and practical in nature.
• Questions covered local context, community involvement, experiential learning, role play, observation, and science process skills.
• Topics such as biodiversity, animal classification, cultural diversity, and real-life examples made EVS engaging and child-centred.
• Overall, the paper rewarded conceptual understanding, classroom awareness, and reflective thinking.
• Pure memorisation was not sufficient to attempt the questions confidently.
• The exam clearly tested understanding of children, learning processes, and real classroom needs rather than textbook definitions alone.

CTET Exam 2026 Paper I Good Attempts and Difficulty Level

The CTET Exam 2026 Paper I was considered easy to moderate by most candidates. The paper largely followed the NCERT framework and focused on conceptual clarity, classroom-oriented pedagogy, and application-based questions. Candidates with a clear understanding of Child Development principles, primary-level Mathematics, EVS concepts, and strong reading comprehension in languages found the paper manageable. Overall, 110–125 questions could be attempted with confidence in this shift.

 Student Review of CTET Exam 8 Feb Shift 1

Candidates who appeared in Shift 1 described the paper as balanced and manageable, especially for those who prepared strictly from NCERT books and previous year CTET papers.

• The exam was moderately challenging with a balanced distribution across all sections.
• Science & Environmental Studies tested conceptual understanding and practical application rather than rote learning.
• Questions included chemical reactions, effect of indicators (litmus, phenolphthalein), and metal reactivity.
• Observation and inference skills were tested through experiments like density and heat in wires.
• Biology-focused questions covered digestion and absorption in the small intestine, reproduction in fungi, moss, and ferns.
• Environmental concepts included steps in wastewater treatment, soil properties, and cyclone formation.
• Several questions tested scientific temper, including perseverance, creativity, and skepticism.
• Candidates were asked to distinguish between physical and chemical changes (galvanization, electroplating).
• Role of microorganisms, metals, and other substances in daily life and industrial applications was included.
• English and Language sections focused on comprehension, grammar, clauses, vocabulary, and inference-based reasoning.
• Heavy focus on Piaget & Vygotsky theories, including cognitive stages, scaffolding, ZPD.
• Strong presence of constructivist teaching methods and classroom strategies for diverse learners.
• Questions on adolescent development, growth patterns, and gender/socialization.
• Assessment-related questions linked to NEP 2020, highlighting self-assessment and peer-assessment.
• Mix of theory, application, and scenario-based questions; many questions involve Assertion-Reason type.
  Practical examples and real-life applications in Science made the section slightly tricky but manageable for NCERT-prepared students.
• Time management was crucial due to reasoning-based and application-oriented questions.
• Overall, the exam tested knowledge, analytical thinking, and observation skills, making it a comprehensive assessment for aspiring teachers.

CTET Exam 2026 Good Attempts and Difficulty Level

The CTET Exam 2026 Paper II was rated easy to moderate by most candidates, with a healthy range of good attempts across all sections. Overall, candidates could comfortably attempt 115–130 questions, making this shift favourable for those with strong NCERT-based preparation.

CTET Exam Analysis 2026 for Shift 2 (Paper I)

CTET Paper I required deeper subject understanding along with teaching methodology.

Child Development & Pedagogy

• Factors ensuring meaningful learning
• Role of emotional support, competition, and experiential learning
• Hypothetical logical reasoning (Piaget)
• Symbolic thinking and stages of cognitive development
• Object permanence and conservation concepts
• Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation
• Mastery goal orientation in learners
• Realistic vs performance-based learning goals
• Gender stereotypes in education and classroom practices
• Strategies to reduce gender bias among children
• Promotion of critical thinking skills
• Questioning techniques, what, why, and how
• Kohlberg’s stages of moral development
• Pre-conventional moral reasoning, punishment-oriented stage
• Vygotsky’s concept of inner speech
• Role of inner speech in reasoning and thought organization
• Principles of development, cephalocaudal and proximodistal
• Nature of development, continuous vs discontinuous and multidimensional
• Sensitive period in development
• Developmental tasks and milestones
• Authentic learning tasks in primary education
• Application of learning to daily life
• Inclusive education and curriculum adaptation
• Flexible and differentiated instruction
• Misconceptions in primary learners and appropriate teacher response
• Reciprocal teaching strategies
• Skills involved in reciprocal teaching
• Social nature of learning, situated learning
• Development vs growth
• Characteristics of ADHD
• Creative thinking and problem-solving questions
• Creativity and intellectual stimulation
• Formative assessment concepts
• Learner involvement in assessment
• Effective problem-solving strategies
• Concept mapping in learning
• Organizing information through similarities and differences
• Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development, ZPD
• Skill acquisition with guidance and scaffolding
• Language diversity and dynamic assessment
• Invented spelling and early writing exploration
• Scaffolding in the teaching–learning process
• Role of social interaction in cognitive development
• Piaget’s concept of assimilation
• Examples of cognitive assimilation
• Learning difficulties and disabilities, dyspraxia, dyslexia, and dyscalculia
• Motor coordination and manual dexterity issues
• Teaching strategies for children with autism

Hindi

• कविता के आधार पर कृतज्ञता की भावना, कवि किसे धन्यवाद देना चाहता है
• जीवन की विशेषता, स्थिरता बनाम अस्थिरता का भाव
• प्रतीकात्मक अर्थ, ‘सीमित पग’ का संकेत
• विपरीतार्थक / भिन्न शब्द की पहचान
• जीवन में लक्ष्य प्राप्ति की संभावना पर काव्यात्मक दृष्टि
• ‘लक्ष्य’ के लिए उपयुक्त शब्द का चयन
• भाषा शिक्षण में प्रतिपुष्टि (फीडबैक) और स्तरानुकूल कौशल
• पठन में कठिनाई के लिए उपचारात्मक शिक्षण (Remedial Teaching)
• पोर्टफोलियो आकलन, उद्देश्य और शैक्षिक महत्व
• कक्षा में विद्यार्थियों की अंतःक्रिया बढ़ाने की रणनीतियाँ
• भाषा शिक्षक की भूमिका, विद्यार्थियों की अधिगम शैली पहचानना
• प्रत्यय ‘ता’ का प्रयोग, शब्द निर्माण से संबंधित अवधारणा
• समानता, न्याय, सद्भाव और समभाव से जुड़ी अवधारणा
• शब्दार्थ, व्यक्ति विशेष के गुणों का बोध
• गद्यांश आधारित जीवन मूल्य, आदर्श जीवन की विशेषताएँ
• भाषा अधिगम से संबंधित कथन, सही–गलत अवधारणाएँ
• आकलन में अभिकथन–कारण (Assertion–Reason) आधारित समझ
• शब्दावली विकास के लिए उपयुक्त पठन सामग्री
• भाषा अधिगम में व्याकरण और अर्थग्रहण की भूमिका
• पाठ्यपुस्तकों में चित्रों और रेखाचित्रों की भूमिका
• भाषा विकास का संज्ञानात्मक सिद्धांत, अंतःक्रिया द्वारा भाषा सीखना

English

• Vocabulary, antonyms, opposite meaning of a word from the passage
• Reading comprehension, understanding character motivation
• Vocabulary in context, meaning of a word used to describe criticism or scolding
• Parts of speech, identifying the grammatical category of a given word
• Comprehension-based inference from a prose passage
• Understanding interpersonal relationships and conflicts in a narrative
• Central idea of the passage, theme related to education and gender bias
• Poem-based comprehension, interpreting imagery and setting
• Literary device and figurative meaning used in a poem
• Interpretation of metaphorical expression in poetry, meaning of “poverty line receded further”

Mathematics

• Objectives of teaching pictographs, representing data meaningfully and engaging learners
• Problem-solving method in mathematics, steps involved in problem solving
• Creative thinking–based tasks in primary mathematics
• Types of angles, properties of acute, obtuse, straight, and reflex angles
• Purpose of assessment in primary mathematics education
• HCF and LCM relationship, identifying impossible LCM values
• Role of assessment in identifying learning gaps and modifying pedagogy
• Data handling stages, collection, organisation, representation, and interpretation
• Understanding students’ errors in mathematics and their characteristics
• NIPUN Bharat Mission, foundational numeracy timeline
• Place value concept, difference of place values in a number
• Enhancing computational skills through practice and conceptual clarity
• Mathematical processes as per NCF 2005
• Perimeter and area relationship in a square
• Dienes’ principles, teaching place value using concrete materials
• Use of concrete teaching aids for place value in primary classes
• Van Hiele levels of geometric understanding
• Perimeter of a rectangle, finding breadth
• Divisibility rules, six-digit numbers divisible by 36
• Interpreting tabular data, logical statements based on data
• Symmetry in letters, line of symmetry
• Formation of greatest and smallest numbers using given digits
• Properties of 3D shapes, faces and edges of solids
• Multiplication as repeated addition, real-life word problems
• Descending order of fractions
• Real-life situations representing equal sharing (division)
• Learning outcomes at the foundational level, least appropriate practices
• Pattern recognition and missing number in a sequence
• Mathematics curriculum at the primary level, key characteristics
• Twin prime numbers within a given range

EVS

• Use of local context in EVS teaching, factors to consider while selecting local context
• Pedagogical and ethical considerations in choosing local examples for EVS
• Matching Indian languages with the states where they are spoken
• Linguistic diversity of India, regional languages and their distribution
• Purpose of including local surroundings in EVS textbooks
• Role of school environment and community in EVS learning
• EVS as an experiential subject, learning beyond textbooks
• Observation-based learning in EVS
• Animals and their characteristics, visible ears, body hair, and mode of reproduction
• Classification of animals based on physical features
• History, geography, and cultural diversity of regions in India
• Significance of Environmental Studies at the primary level
• Objectives of EVS, child-centred learning, values, and problem-solving skills
• Assessment tools in EVS, portfolio, worksheet, checklist, anecdotal records
• Group activities in EVS and assessment of both process and product
• Role play as a teaching strategy in EVS
• Selecting real-life situations for EVS role play activities
• Science process skills in EVS, observation, classification, and inference
• Assertion–Reason based understanding of worker bees and honey production
• Use of real people and real-life experiences in NCERT EVS textbooks

CTET Exam Analysis 2026 for Shift 1 (Paper II)

CTET Paper II required deeper subject understanding along with teaching methodology.

Child Development & Pedagogy

• Piaget’s Cognitive Development – Schema adaptation, assimilation, accommodation
• Physical development impact on social-emotional growth; developmental continuity
• Growth spurt during adolescence; puberty-related physical changes
• Pubescence; adolescent developmental trends
• Active vs passive learning; collaborative learning and student interaction
• Effective problem-solving strategies; avoiding irrelevant information
• Piaget – Formal operational stage; mental trial-and-error, hypothesis testing
• Emotional awareness; encouraging reflection in middle school children
• Constructivist teaching principles; meaningful and student-centered learning
• Kohlberg’s Moral Development – Ethics of egocentricism in young children
• Diversity and inclusion in classroom; impact on teaching-learning
• Effective teaching strategies for diverse learners: Differentiated instruction, IEPs
• Constructivist approach – Children’s intrinsic motivation to make sense of the world
• Problem-solving strategies – Heuristics and algorithms
• Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD); scaffolding, appropriate support
• Learning disorders – Dyslexia; identifying characteristics
• Classroom environment for motivation; safety, belongingness, positive reinforcement
• Shift from conservative to progressive education; mastery-oriented learning goals
• Learning strategies – Rereading, questioning, clarifying, active engagement
• Student motivation focus – Emphasizing understanding and appreciating learning
• Gender roles and socialization; curriculum influence on identity
• Dyslexia and phonological processing; supporting children’s strengths
• Role of peers in socialization; adolescence vs early childhood influence
• Learning principles – Social interaction, constructivist approach, meaningful tasks
• Constructivist approaches – Interactive and collaborative activities
• Heredity and environment interaction in physical development; nutrition impact
• Inclusive classroom adaptations – Teaching strategies, assessment, support
• Sensory impairments – Differentiating dysgraphia from vision/hearing issues
• NEP 2020 – Transforming assessment; self-assessment and peer-assessment
• Vygotsky – Scaffolding; giving hints and cues to support problem-solving

Hindi

• मनुष्य का जीवन और किताब से परिचय
• किताब की परिभाषा: पन्ने, लेखन और बंधन
• किताब के प्रारंभिक रूप: ताल पत्र और पपाइरस
• हाइरोग्लाइफ का प्रयोग
• छपाई की मशीन और पहली मुद्रित किताबें
• पतला कागज बनाने में पपाइरस का उपयोग
• ताल पत्रों पर चित्रकारी का कार्य
• ताल पत्रों पर लिखने की योग्यता (सुंदर लेखन)
• मनुष्य का प्रारंभिक बचपन में किताब से परिचय
• भिन्न शब्द या वाक्य की पहचान
• ‘रत्न प्रसचिनी’ का अर्थ
• ‘वसुधा’ का समानार्थी
• कविता में मानव और पृथ्वी का संबंध
• बचपन में बोई गई फसल और श्रम का महत्व
• कविता में मुहावरे और भावार्थ
• संस्थागत लेखन और अन्य प्रकार की लेखन शैलियाँ
• भाषा अर्जन और अधिगम का सिद्धांत
• भाषा शिक्षण के उपागम: शब्दावली, उच्चारण, व्याकरण
• विषय अभिमुखी भाषा निवेश और उसका उपयोग

Mathematics

• Product of rational numbers, reciprocal concept, algebraic expression evaluation
• Factorization of algebraic expressions
• Types of educational tests: Norm-referenced vs Criterion-referenced vs Achievement vs Diagnostic
• Properties of numbers, cube, square, prime numbers, rationality
• Congruence of triangles, SAS & SSS criteria
• Project method in teaching mathematics, learner’s role, discovery-based learning
• Interdisciplinary problems in mathematics, symmetry, real-life application
• Divisibility rules, number properties
• Teaching-learning materials for geometry: shapes, perimeter, area, polygons
• Solving quadratic equations, sum and product of roots
• Formative assessment, purpose, feedback, ranking
• Pie chart interpretation, central angles, data representation
• Surface area and volume of solids, cost calculation, application of area formulas
• Understanding patterns for algebra, reasoning and generalization
• Compound interest calculation, half-yearly vs yearly compounding, comparison
• Faces, vertices, and edges of 3D shapes (triangular pyramid), Euler’s formula
• Methods of proof in mathematics: direct proof, contradiction
• Cylinder: relationship between radius, height, base area, volume calculation
• Arranging integers in descending order, conceptual understanding
• Numeration systems, sexagesimal, decimal, binary, hexadecimal
• Circle geometry, perimeter and area relations, radius calculation
• Pythagoras theorem, right triangle side identification
• Simplification of surds, radicals
• Profit and loss, percentage gain/loss
• Teaching real-life mathematical concepts through field trips
• Algebraic simplification, powers, exponents
• Complementary angles, angle calculation
• Properties of quadrilaterals, angles, parallel sides
• Measures of central tendency: mean, median, data interpretation
• Solving linear equations, algebraic manipulation

Science

• Effect of indicators (litmus, phenolphthalein) on different solutions
• Reactivity of metals determined by reactions with metal salts
• Activities that do or do not contribute to professional development of science teachers
• Matching hormones with their deficiency diseases
• Substances separable or not by crystallization
• Developing observation and inference skills through density experiments
• Science can advance through serendipitous discoveries
• Comparing and converting body temperatures in °C and °F
• Attributes of scientific temper: perseverance, creativity, skepticism
• Relationship between force, work, and momentum
• Activities suitable for understanding science-society relationships
• Heat produced in wires depends on material and length
• Role of small intestine and villi in digestion and absorption
• Scientists are open-minded and consider opposing ideas
• Matching animals with their feeding methods
• Identifying chemical compounds and their industrial or household uses
• Experiments to develop observation, reasoning, and questioning skills
• Role of baking powder as food for yeast during fermentation
• Science is tentative and evolves with new evidence
• Strategies to challenge misconceptions about air expansion on heating
• Common reproduction methods in fungi, moss, and ferns
• Identifying metals by their reactions with water
• Matching microorganisms with their actions or effects
• Steps in wastewater treatment and what is not done
• Importance of including scientists’ biographies in textbooks
• Formation of cyclones: warm air rises, creating low pressure
• Distinguishing physical and chemical changes (galvanization, electroplating)
• Frequency of light remains unchanged when moving to a rarer medium
• Properties of soil types: clayey, loamy, sandy
• Parts of solar cooker responsible for greenhouse effect

English

• Adjective clause
• Adverb clause
• Noun clause
• Principal clause
• Motives for vegetarianism
• Implicit message of vegetarianism
• Reasons for vegetarianism’s limited popularity
• Health benefits of vegetarian diet
• Meaning and synonyms of words like ‘cultivated’ and ‘tasteless’
• Parts of speech identification
• Self-control and its importance
• Harmonious negotiation
• Successful person’s balance in life
• Language acquisition and innateness hypothesis
• Types of writing: personal, discursive, descriptive
• Bottom-up listening activities
• Language-in-education policy
• Pedagogical realization of materials
• Mother tongue-based multilingualism
• Reading strategies: skimming, scanning, reviewing
• Collaborative dictation tasks
• Form-oriented language inputs
• Assessment for learning
• Productive and receptive vocabulary
• Teaching poetry: purpose and approach
• Language skills in classroom content areas
• Cognitive and procedural knowledge
• Present-Practice-Produce (PPP) language task

Social Studies

• Cultural unity and diversity in Hampi temples, festivals, and Devadasi performances.
• Indigo trade in Europe, industrialisation, and colonial economic policies.
• Causes of water scarcity: rainfall variation, overuse, and contamination.
• Tamil epic Manimekalai composed by Ilango.
• Calculating local time at 90° East from Greenwich Meridian.
• Matching crops (Coffee, Jute, Tea, Wheat) with their characteristics.
• Modern US farming practices: mechanisation and storage automation.
• Discovery location of ‘Rampurva Bull’ Mauryan sculpture.
• Identification of non-permanent winds (Westerlies).
• Historical analysis of tribes, nomads, and settled communities.
• Correct hierarchical order of Panchayati Raj institutions.
• Celestial bodies in the solar system with own heat and light.
• National movement events showing unity among social and political groups.
• Mass media as a major means of global communication.
• Founder of the Satnami movement in Central India.
• Biotic and abiotic conditions forming the environment.
• Examples and non-examples of discrimination.
• Evidence for India’s long process of becoming a nation.
• Importance of sufficient rainfall for plants, animals, and groundwater.
• ‘Little Tibet’ in India: Ladakh.
• Incorrectly matched historical revolts (Kol, Santhal, Bastar, Warli).
• Globe as a true model of Earth due to spherical shape and correct representation.
• Trade and European competition in Masulipatnam in the 17th century.
• Year James Mill published A History of British India.
• Lithosphere: composition, rocks, minerals, and soil layer.
• Bengal temple building: piety, power, and architectural replication.
• Longitudinal extent of one-hour Earth time zone.
• Causes of waterfalls in mountain rivers: hard rocks and steep valleys.
• First cotton mill in India established in Bombay.
• Colonial agrarian policies and revenue administration after 1765.
• Institutional sources of rural debt in India (cooperatives, banks).
• State interventions in religion under the Indian Constitution (untouchability, child labour).
• Fieldwork, projects, and group activities as foundation of Social Science teaching.
• Public works and legislative assembly approval; citizens’ electoral representation.