CTET Preparation Tips and Tricks for 2021

CTET is one of the toughest exams in India. After clearing CTET applicants are eligible to teach classes 1 to 8. Qualifying in the examination is the basic criteria to become a teacher. That’s why aspirants need strategic planning to prepare for this exam. In this blog, we will be helping you plan your CTET preparation!

Name of the Examination	Central Teacher Eligibility Test – CTET
Frequency	Twice every year
Number of Attempts	No upper limit
Duration of Examination	150 minutes
Mode of Examination	Offline
Qualifying Marks	60% & above for the General category 55% & above for SC/ST
Medium of Instruction	Hindi and English
Number of Papers	Two papers: Paper 1 – Given by candidates who want to teach Class I-V Paper 2 – Given by candidates who want to teach Class Vl-Vlll
Purpose of the Examination	To narrow down the eligible candidates
Number of Exam Cities	110 cities across the country

CTET Exam Latest News 

• The 15th edition of the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) will be held between December 16, 2021, to January 13, 2022, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) said on Saturday. The Board has also said that registration for the exam will begin on September 20 and will end on October 19. The option to pay exam fees will be open till October 20.
• The question papers will be developed to assess less factual knowledge and more of conceptual understanding, application, problem-solving, reasoning, and critical thinking
• A detailed assessment framework with measurable competencies, sample blueprints and sample questions will be released by the CBSE to enable aspiring candidates to prepare for the CTET exam.
• The CTET exam will be held in online mode to motivate futuristic teachers to become computer literate. Online CTET examination compliant with strict COVID protocols would ensure not only safety but would facilitate faster processing and declaration of results.
• The CBSE will set up facilitation centers in the districts where the candidates will be provided (free of cost) facilities for attempting the online mock test.

About CTET Exam

• Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET)  is a national-level examination conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education to recruit teachers for classes 1 to 8. 
• It is conducted twice a year and the examination is divided into 2 shifts, Paper I, and Paper II, conducted on the same day in 2 shifts. 
• The examination is conducted offline all over the country, while the application process is online. 
• The paper is bilingual (i.e. Hindi and English) carrying only multiple-choice questions (MCQs). 
• Each paper carries 150 questions, each question carries 1 mark and no negative marking. 
• The duration of the exams is 2 hours and 30 minutes.

To know more, check out our blog on CTET Exam for the latest updates, exam patterns and syllabus!

CTET Preparation Tips

Let’s walk you through some of the best CTET preparation tips that aspirants must keep in mind while preparing for the CTET exam 2021:

Know the CTET Exam Pattern 

One of the most important CTET preparation tips that aspirants tend to overlook is not knowing or being familiar with the exam pattern of the CTET exam. Knowing the exam pattern beforehand will not only help aspirants with their exam preparations and the type of questions that will come in the examination but will also boost their morale and confidence. Here is the exam pattern:

Exam Mode	Offline
Type of Questions	MCQs
Exam Duration	2.5 Hours
Total Questions	150
Marking scheme	+1 for the correct response
Negative Marking	No Negative Marking
CTET Exam Language	English and Hindi

Be Well-Versed In the Syllabus 

After knowing and getting familiar with the exam pattern, another CTET preparation tip that aspirants must adhere to is getting familiar with the correct syllabus and marking scheme of the CTET exam. Candidates must know that the CTET Syllabus is different for Paper – I & Paper II. Hence, aspirants must try to cover the complete CTET syllabus. 

CTET Paper-I	Child Development & Pedagogy, Language-1, Language-2, Environmental Studies, Mathematics.
CTET Paper-II	Child Development & Pedagogy, Language-1, Language-2, Social Studies or Mathematics & Science

To help you comprehend the different sections of the CTET, here is a table that demonstrates the pattern for each section of the exam.

Sections	No. of Questions	Marks
Language l	30	30
Language ll	30	30
Environmental Studies	30	30
Mathematics	30	30
Child Development and Pedagogy	30	30
Grand Total	150 Multiple Choice Questions	150 Marks

Prepare a Time Table 

Another pro CTET preparation tip for aspirants who wish to excel in the CTET exam is to make a timetable for their practice and revision. Set your priorities and daily tasks a day before and accordingly prepare a timetable for the next day which can be easily followed and completed. 

Focus on Your Weaknesses 

Determine where you are weak and where you have room for improvement. Try to read and master all of the fundamental ideas before beginning to practise in your weak areas. You don’t need to focus on the fundamental ideas in your strong areas; instead, practise more and more problems from those topics. Practising as many CTET previous year question papers as possible is excellent CTET preparation advice for thriving in your weak areas. This will not only help you strengthen your weak spots, but will also assist you in becoming acquainted with the test structure and time management.

Do your CRET Preparation by Reading Important Books 

Make it a habit to study at least one key textbook for each topic included in the CTET exam syllabus. You can also practise with NCERT Books from Class 3rd to 12th. You may also prefer any of the books from other publications besides NCERT. You can also prefer any of the books from famous publishers like Arihant, Disha, or Upkar Publication for the CTET Exam. 

Prepare Short Notes 

Once you’ve made it a point to read important books in order to cover the syllabus, another CTET preparation tip would be to make short notes on different topics. These brief notes will assist you in revising the whole curriculum at the last minute before the test. In your short notes, highlight the main topics that will be useful throughout the revision session.

Revise, Revise and Revise 

This is probably one of the least talked about CTET preparation tips. It is important for aspirants to revise the studied concepts and topics on a daily or weekly basis. During the revision, try to memorise the concept, essential theories, and formulae. Don’t merely cram; instead, attempt to comprehend the core concepts of the subject.

Practice Mocks Tests Before Exam 

One of the golden CTET preparation tips that aspirants must keep in mind is to inculcate the habit of practising CTET mock tests before the actual exam. It is essential to take CTET mock tests on a regular basis if you want to do well in the real exam. You can increase your preparation rate by analysing the section-by-section score. You can organise your time wisely and efficiently based on the results of the mock test.

CTET Exam Qualifying Marks

Because the CTET July exam has no negative marking, try to answer all 150 questions. To qualify for the CTET exam in the general category, you must obtain 90 out of 150 points. There is no sectional cutoff, therefore no subject is off-limits.

Subject Wise CTET Preparation Tips 

This exam is further divided into different subjects and each one has a separate syllabus, pattern and difficulty level. Check out the CTET preparation plan for each subject below: 

CTET Preparation for Child Development and Pedagogy 

There are 15 questions from each sub-sections that will be asked in the examination. The questions will be based on the thinking, ideology, and principle of the child development section. 5 questions will be asked from the section of children with special abilities. Prepare the topic thinker’s thoughts and principles well. Here are all the sections of child development and pedagogy:

• Theories of Child Development
• Learning theories
• Theories of Intelligence
• Assessment and Evaluation
• Concepts of Psychology

Best Books for  Child Development and Pedagogy CTET Preparation

Referring to the best books will help you in preparation and help you score well. Here is the list of some books you could refer to for the subject of child development and pedagogy:

A Complete Resource for CTET: Child Child Development & Pedagogy by Pearson Education	Buy Here
Child Development & Pedagogy: Paper 1 & 2 of CTET by By Sandeep Kumar	Buy Here
Development and Pedagogy    CTET & TETs Child Development & Pedagogy (Paper I & II) by Arihant Publications	Buy Here
CTET & STET (Hindi) by Renu Tyagi	Buy Here

Here are the study notes on Child Development & Pedagogy Notes, CTET Child Development Theories, and CTET Child Development Study Notes on Special Needs for your CTET preparation

CTET Preparation for Language I and II

The language I am the language used by the applicant and language II is the language used for formal communication. Here are CTET preparation tips for both sections:

Language I

• This is the language you’ll use to impart the knowledge in the classroom. Hence checking its proficiency is a must
• A lot of practice for this language is mandatory, be it oral or written
• This is the local language, hence most of the candidates go for Hindi
• You can practice online test series to excel in the same
• You should have proper time management planning which will help you score really good marks
• Two unseen passages will be asked, one will be from prose and the second one will be drama
• One question will also be asked from the poetry section
• Questions will be asked from grammar and verbal communication
• Inference-based questions will also be asked

Language II

• Second primary language used in the selected area.
• The pattern of the questions will be the same as in paper I.

General CTET Preparation Tips

• A lot of practice is required for both papers
• Buy a basic grammar book for both languages
• Regularly read both languages. For this, you can use newspapers, or books written in that specific language
• Read the syllabus carefully. Don’t jump directly to the practice session

Best Books for CTET Language I & II

There are plenty of books available in the market for the CTET exam. Selecting the best one is quite difficult. We have curated a list of the best books for CTET language I & II. Check out the list of all books:

Study Package for CTET by Mcgraw Hill Education	Buy Here
Study Guidelines for study paper 1 CTET by Disha Publication	Buy Here
CTET & TETs English Language Paper I & II by Arihant	Buy Here

Check out the complete list of CTET Books!

CTET Preparation for Mathematics Paper I and Paper II

Mathematics is a subject that becomes perfect by practising I-VII. You must carefully study the syllabus provided by the CBSE. 

• Revise the NCERT books. Students must revise the NCERT books for mathematics of class I-VIII based on their preferences as prescribed by CBSE
• Practice mock tests. Previous year questions are mandatory for the CTET Preparation. A lot of websites are offered for mock tests
• Practice Sample Papers. CBSE will provide the papers just before the examinations
• Practice questions on pedagogy. Practical knowledge with practical methods is necessary to become a successful teacher
• The good thing is there’s no negative marking. So attempt all the questions, even if you don’t know the concept, don’t leave any question unattempted

Best Books for CTET Mathematics Paper I and Paper II

Mathematics is quite difficult but with the help of the right books you can ace it like a pro. Here are the books you can refer to if you’re preparing for the CTET Mathematics Paper:

Book Name	Publisher
CTET Central Teachers Eligibility Test CBSE Syllabus Teachers from Classes VI to VIII Mathematics & Science by Sura College of Competition	Buy Here
Class Notes of Maths by Rakesh Yadav Publication	Buy Here
A Complete Resource for CTET: Mathematics and Pedagogy by Pearson Education	Buy Here

Worried about the Mathematics section? We have got you covered with our CTET Mathematics Notes

CTET Preparation for Science Paper

There are 30 questions in the CTET science section which are also multiple-choice questions. Most of these questions are from NCERT. Aspirants should also prepare from the NCERT books and sample papers, they will help in preparation. Refer to various online tests and resources.

Best Books for CTET Science

Wondering about the books you can refer to for the science sections? Check out the complete list of CTET science books:

CTET & TETs for Class VI-VIII by Arihant Publications	Buy Here
CTET (Central Teacher Eligibility Test ) Paper-II (Mathematics & Science) by Sura College of Competition	Buy Here
CTET & TETs Paper-II for Class VI-VIII MATHS & SCIENCE by Arihant Publications	Buy Here
A Complete Resource for CTET: Science and Pedagogy by Pearson	Buy Here

For the desired execution of your plan of action, you need a timetable. Check out the CTET Notes & Study Plan curated by us for you!

CTET Preparation for Social and Environmental Science

For this section, aspirants must cover the Class I-VIII syllabus. Questions in this section are basic fundamental types. Read newspapers and watch news channels regularly and attempt mock tests. Do a lot of practice to identify your weakness.

Best Books for CTET  Social and Environmental Science

CTET & TETs Environmental Studies & Pedagogy by Arihant	Buy Here
Environmental Studies (EVS) by WILEY	Buy Here
CTET (Central Teacher Eligibility Test) Paper-II: Social Science Teacher by Access Publishing	Buy Here

Looking for a quick revision source? Here are the CTET Social Science notes for you!

FAQs

This was all regarding the CTET preparation. Hope that with these tips and tricks, you can do wonders in the upcoming CTET exam! For the latest information around study and test prep blogs, keep following Leverage Edu.