CBSE Cancels CTET Paper 2 at Two Bihar Exam Centers, Announces Re-Examination Within 15 Days
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has officially cancelled the Paper 2 examination of the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) 2026 at two specific centers located in Bihar. This decision was necessitated by unavoidable circumstances that prevented the test from being conducted as scheduled.
Affected Centers and Official Communication
In a post on the social media platform X, CBSE identified the impacted examination centers as:
- Center Code 125016: St. John’s Academy, Basmati Nagar, Vaishali (Hajipur)
- Center Code 125014: Lakshya International Academy, Vaishali (Hajipur)
The Board has assured all candidates allotted to these two centers that a re-examination will be conducted within the next 15 days. Furthermore, CBSE has stated that the revised schedule for this re-examination will be communicated separately to the concerned candidates through official channels.
National Context of CTET 2026
The CTET 2026 is being administered on February 7 and 8 across India in a traditional pen-and-paper format. The examination is being held in 132 cities nationwide, utilizing a total of 1,803 examination centers. Despite the cancellation at the two Bihar centers, CBSE confirmed that Paper 2 was successfully conducted at the remaining 1,801 centers across the country.
This year's CTET has seen massive participation, with a record 25,30,581 candidates registering for the test. Notably, over 7.6 lakh applications were submitted in the final 48 hours before the registration window closed on December 18, 2025.
Importance of CTET and Exam Structure
The Central Teacher Eligibility Test is a crucial national-level eligibility examination that determines qualification for teaching positions in Classes 1 to 8 within centrally administered and recognized schools across India. Conducted biannually by CBSE, the CTET credential is often mandatory for securing teaching jobs in institutions such as Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and various other government and aided schools.
The examination is structured into two distinct papers:
- Paper I: For aspiring teachers of Classes 1 to 5.
- Paper II: For those aiming to teach Classes 6 to 8.
Both papers consist of multiple-choice questions covering essential areas including Child Development & Pedagogy, Language I and II, Mathematics, Environmental Studies (for Paper I), and specific subject areas relevant to the chosen teaching level (for Paper II).
Background on Teacher Recruitment and Vacancies
This examination occurs against a backdrop of significant staffing challenges in India's school system. As per data shared by the Ministry of Education in the Lok Sabha during the Winter Session of Parliament in 2025, Kendriya Vidyalayas across the country are grappling with more than 10,000 vacant positions.
The detailed breakdown as of November 1, 2025, reveals:
- Total Sanctioned Posts: 56,520
- Filled Posts (Teaching & Non-Teaching): 46,347
- Teaching Vacancies: 8,457 positions
- Non-Teaching Vacancies: 1,716 positions
Among the teaching staff recruited, the category-wise distribution shows the highest number from the unreserved category (17,427), followed by Other Backward Classes (13,211), Economically Weaker Sections (11,14), Scheduled Castes (7,235), and Scheduled Tribes (2,970).
Candidates affected by the cancellation in Bihar are advised to monitor official CBSE communications closely for updates on the re-examination schedule and any further instructions.
