Career basics · 8 min read
CTET, TET, B.Ed: which teaching qualification do you need?
If you want to teach in an Indian K-12 school, you'll keep running into a wall of acronyms — CTET, TET, B.Ed, M.Ed, NTT, B.El.Ed. Here's a clean map of which qualification unlocks which kind of school, in plain English.
CTET — Central Teacher Eligibility Test
CTET is conducted by CBSE twice a year. Two papers: Paper 1 qualifies you for Classes 1–5 (PRT), Paper 2 for Classes 6–8 (TGT). Validity is now lifetime. Most CBSE schools — and all KV/NVS/central government schools — make CTET mandatory.
CTET is not enough on its own to teach Classes 9–12. For senior secondary (PGT) you need a postgraduate degree in the subject plus B.Ed; CTET helps but isn't the gatekeeper.
State TETs
Each state runs its own TET (UP-TET, DSSSB, MAHA-TET, KAR-TET, etc.) for state-board government schools. They mirror CTET's two-paper structure. If you want a state government school job, the state TET is what you need; CTET works for central schools and most CBSE/ICSE private schools across India.
Most private schools accept either CTET or the state TET. Always confirm in the job description — School Jobs India listings call this out per role.
B.Ed and M.Ed
B.Ed (Bachelor of Education) is a 2-year course after graduation and is mandatory for TGT and PGT roles in nearly every reputable school. M.Ed is a further 2-year specialist degree — useful for HoD / coordinator / academic-leadership roles, not strictly required for classroom teaching.
NIOS and other distance B.Ed degrees are accepted by most private schools but are sometimes flagged in central government recruitment — check the specific vacancy notification.
B.El.Ed, D.El.Ed and NTT (primary specialists)
B.El.Ed (4-year integrated, Delhi University ecosystem) and D.El.Ed (2-year diploma) prepare you specifically for primary teaching. NTT (Nursery Teacher Training) is a 1-year course for Pre-Primary. Combined with CTET Paper 1, these are the qualifications for PRT and Pre-Primary roles.
International boards — IBO, Cambridge
IB and Cambridge schools don't require Indian TETs — but they ask for board-specific workshops. For IB: PYP workshop for Classes 1–5, MYP workshops for Classes 6–10, DP subject workshops for Classes 11–12. Cambridge runs CIE professional development modules. These workshops add 6–18 months of accelerated career growth on your CV.