CTET 2026: Navigating the Final Stages of Examination Preparation
As CTET 2026 approaches its examination date, candidates typically transition from worrying about academic chapters to focusing on practical logistics. The most pressing questions become: Where exactly should I report for the exam, and when should I arrive? Understanding the sequence of official documents is crucial for smooth examination day preparation.
The Two Critical Documents: City Intimation Slip vs Admit Card
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) releases two essential documents for CTET candidates, each serving distinct purposes in the examination process.
CBSE CTET 2026 Exam City Intimation Slip: Your Early Travel Planner
The CTET 2026 exam city intimation slip represents an early, travel-friendly update from the examination authorities. This document serves one primary function: confirming the city where your examination center has been allotted. It does not provide the complete center address where you will actually write the examination, nor does it replace the official admit card.
The city slip exists specifically to help candidates—particularly those requiring inter-city travel—make necessary arrangements well in advance. This includes booking transportation tickets, planning commute time, and organizing accommodation if needed, all before the intense examination week begins.
It is essential to understand the fine print regarding city allotment. While candidates select multiple city preferences during application, final allotment depends entirely on examination center capacity. If the number of candidates in a particular notified city falls below required thresholds, the examination may not be conducted there. In such cases, candidates can be shifted to another preference city or an entirely different city altogether. Once a center is officially allotted, changes are generally not permitted. In simple terms: the city slip serves as an advance notification, not a negotiable document.
CBSE CTET 2026 Admit Card: Your Final Entry Document
The CTET 2026 admit card represents the ultimate entry document that candidates must carry to their examination centers. This comprehensive document settles all final details—your exact examination venue address, your specific paper details, your examination shift timing, and your complete candidate identification information.
Candidates should not wait for the admit card release to begin travel planning. By the time this document becomes available for download, most of the practical planning window has already passed. The admit card typically becomes available for download approximately two days before the actual examination date, leaving minimal time for logistical arrangements.
CBSE CTET 2026: Complete Timeline and Key Dates
These critical dates determine your entire CTET 2026 preparation and examination timeline. From the final opportunity to correct application details to when the admit card becomes accessible, maintaining awareness of these milestones is essential. Regularly check the official CTET portal around each deadline to avoid missing narrow operational windows.
- Applications Opening Date: 27 November 2025
- Last Date for Application and Fee Payment: 18 December 2025 (until 23:59 hours)
- Correction Window Period: 23–26 December 2025
- City Intimation Slip Release: Expected soon on the official CTET website
- Admit Card Download Period: Two days before the examination date
- Examination Day: 8 February 2026 (Sunday)
- Result Declaration (Tentative): By the end of March 2026
CTET 2026 Examination Schedule: Reporting Times and Critical Details
CTET 2026 will be conducted in two distinct shifts on the same examination day. The reporting time arrives significantly earlier than the actual examination commencement time, and examination center gates close precisely at the scheduled examination start time. What might seem like "just on time" arrival can quickly transform into "too late" entry. Plan to reach your examination center well in advance, accounting for potential traffic delays, security check procedures, and last-minute document verification at the entrance gate.
- Paper II Examination: 9:30 AM to 12:00 Noon
- Reporting Time: 7:30 AM
- Gate Closing Time: 9:30 AM
- Paper I Examination: 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM
- Reporting Time: 12:30 PM
- Gate Closing Time: 2:30 PM
CTET 2026: Examination Pattern and Qualifying Marks Structure
The CTET follows a straightforward examination structure: each paper contains 150 multiple-choice questions, with a total duration of 2.5 hours allocated per paper. Each question carries one mark, and there is no negative marking system in place.
For qualifying marks, candidates typically track these standard benchmarks:
- General Category Candidates: 60% (90 marks out of 150)
- Reserved Category Candidates: 55% (82 marks out of 150)
Essential Examination Day Preparation
Candidates should prepare these basic requirements well before examination day: a printed copy of the official admit card, a valid original photo identification document, and a recent passport-size photograph. Electronic devices, reference books, study materials, and bags are typically restricted inside examination premises, so plan your belongings accordingly to avoid last-minute complications.
