K-TET September 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Complete Category-Wise Qualification Guide

Before you begin the K-TET September 2026 application process, it’s essential to check whether you actually meet the K-TET eligibility criteria 2026 for the category you intend to apply for. Kerala’s Teacher Eligibility Test is divided into four distinct categories, and each has its own set of minimum qualifications. Getting this wrong can mean a rejected application or a certificate that never gets issued, so this guide breaks down the complete KTET September 2026 eligibility requirements for every category, exactly as specified in the official notification.

KTET FEBRUARY STUDY NOTES

Eligibility Details of KTET Exam 2026 – September Session 

Candidates are advised to refer to the official KTET September 2026 Notification PDF for complete and category-wise eligibility details before submitting the application. The notification contains the prescribed educational qualifications, equivalent qualifications, eligibility conditions, and other important instructions for Category I, II, III, and IV. Download and carefully read the official notification to ensure you meet all the eligibility requirements specified by Kerala Pareeksha Bhavan before applying for KTET 2026.

Why K-TET Eligibility Criteria Matters

As per the Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009 and NCTE guidelines, passing the Teacher Eligibility Test is mandatory for anyone seeking a teaching appointment in Kerala’s Government, Aided, and Recognized schools. But before you can even sit for the exam, you must clear the Kerala TET eligibility bar for that specific category — the exam authority checks your qualifying degree/diploma details against the category and part you select during application. Understanding the full KTET qualification details 2026 upfront saves you from applying for a category you don’t actually qualify for.

KTET September 2026 Eligibility Highlights

K-TET September 2026 Eligibility — Category I (Lower Primary Classes)

To meet the K-TET eligibility criteria 2026 for Category I, you must satisfy any one of the following:

1. 45% marks in Higher Secondary/Senior Secondary (or equivalent) plus a pass in the Teacher Training Certificate (TTC) course conducted by the Kerala Government Examination Board, or a Diploma in Elementary Education (D.Ed)
2. 45% marks in Higher Secondary/Senior Secondary plus a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) obtained as per NCTE’s 2002 Regulations
3. 50% marks in Higher Secondary/Senior Secondary plus a 4-year Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed)
4. 50% marks in Higher Secondary/Senior Secondary, secured along with a 2-year Diploma in Education (Special Education)

Additionally, under this Kerala TET eligibility category, candidates who secured SSLC + TTC qualification and joined service before K-TET was made mandatory (as per G.O.(P) No.70/2012 dated 01/03/2012 and the subsequent order dated 25/06/2012) are also eligible to apply for Category I, per Note (6). Similarly, candidates holding TTC qualification under the rules that existed before K-TET was introduced, per Note (8), also qualify — provided they are appointed by, and recognized by, the Kerala Examination Board and Kerala universities.

K-TET September 2026 Eligibility — Category II (Upper Primary Classes)

The KTET September 2026 eligibility requirements for Category II are:

1. Eligibility to apply for a B.Ed course plus a Diploma in Elementary Education (D.Ed/D.El.Ed) from any recognized university, with an underlying bachelor’s degree
2. 45% marks in any bachelor’s degree plus a B.Ed/D.LEd (subject to NCTE norms applicable at the relevant time)
3. 50% marks in Higher Secondary/Senior Secondary plus a 4-year B.El.Ed completed successfully
4. 50% marks in Higher Secondary/Senior Secondary along with a successfully completed 4-year BA.Ed or B.Sc.Ed
5. Academic and training qualifications prescribed under Chapter XXXI, Schedule 3 of the Kerala Education Rules (KER), along with the qualifications required for admission to a B.Ed course, as recognized by any Kerala university
6. Candidates holding other qualifications accepted for K-TET Category II by Kerala universities, including a BBA degree where recognized

This K-TET eligibility criteria 2026 category also covers final-year D.Ed/D.El.Ed/B.Ed students (3rd/4th semester), who can apply provided they submit a certificate from their institution head confirming they are currently in their second year of study — though the actual K-TET certificate is issued only once they clear the B.Ed/D.El.Ed exam and produce the pass certificate.

K-TET September 2026 Eligibility — Category III (High School Classes / HST)

Category III applies to those seeking High School Teacher (HST) positions in: Malayalam, English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Kannada, Arabic, Urdu, Social Science, Physical Science, Natural Science, and Mathematics.

The Kerala TET eligibility norms for this category are:

1. 45% marks in a bachelor’s degree (relevant subject) plus a B.Ed in the same subject
2. Candidates who secured B.Ed admission based on their Post-Graduation marks, as per the eligibility framework clarified via S.O.(Aided) No.172/2018 dated 04/12/2018, are also eligible under this K-TET eligibility criteria 2026 provision
3. For Mathematics, Physical Science, Chemistry, Botany, or Zoology graduates: a degree with minimum 50% marks, along with an M.Sc Ed degree in the same subject from a regional institute of education recognized/run under NCERT
4. Candidates with a combined Botany and Zoology background, with 50% aggregate marks, holding an M.Sc Ed in Life Science, are also eligible
5. 45% marks in a BA degree plus a pass in LTTC/D.LEd also satisfies Category III KTET qualification details 2026

Important Note for Category III

Only candidates with degree qualifications recognized by the Kerala Government/Pareeksha Bhavan/NCTE/Kerala universities are eligible to apply for Category III. Applicants must ensure their degree equivalence is certified by any recognized Kerala university at the time of certificate verification.

K-TET September 2026 Eligibility — Category IV (Language & Specialist Teachers)

Category IV covers:

• Language teachers in Arabic, Hindi, Sanskrit, and Urdu, up to Upper Primary level
• Specialist teachers — Physical Education and Art & Craft — up to VHSE (Vocational Higher Secondary) level

As per G.O.(MS) No.59/2024/Public Education Department dated 10/06/2024, and G.O.(MS) No.154/2024/Public Education Department dated 19/12/2024, candidates who have secured the qualification to teach Arabic/Hindi/Sanskrit/Urdu languages (up to Upper Primary level), or who hold qualifications for Physical Education/Art & Craft specialist teacher posts, as recognized under Chapter XXXI of the Kerala Education Rules & Rules (per the government’s minimum qualification norms for these posts), are eligible under this K-TET eligibility criteria 2026 category.

Age Limit for K-TET September 2026

Unlike most competitive exams, there is no upper age limit to appear for K-TET. This applies uniformly across all four categories, so candidates of any age who meet the educational qualification for a category can apply, provided they hold the required qualifying degree/diploma.

K-TET Qualifying Marks & Relaxations – September Session

Meeting the K-TET eligibility criteria 2026 at the qualifying-degree stage is separate from the minimum marks needed to actually pass K-TET. The pass marks for the K-TET exam itself are:

Relaxations applicable on educational qualification marks (not the K-TET exam pass marks) under this KTET September 2026 eligibility framework:

• 5% marks relaxation on qualifying-degree marks for SC/ST/OBC/OEC category candidates
• 10% marks relaxation on qualifying-degree marks for differently-abled candidates

Documents Required to Prove KTET Eligibility

While applying, and later during certificate verification, candidates must be ready to produce:

• Mark lists/certificates of the qualifying degree/diploma relevant to the chosen category
• Caste/community certificate (for SC/ST/OBC/OEC fee concession and eligibility relaxation)
• Disability certificate, where applicable (for the 4% differently-abled reservation and marks relaxation)
• A valid photo ID matching the details submitted in the application

Common Eligibility Mistakes Candidates Make

• Applying for Category III with a B.Ed in a subject different from their bachelor’s degree subject — this does not meet the Kerala TET eligibility requirement, since the B.Ed subject and degree subject must match
• Assuming a general B.Ed alone qualifies for Category I — it does not; Category I specifically requires a TTC, D.Ed, D.El.Ed, B.El.Ed, or Special Education diploma
• Final-year D.Ed/B.Ed students forgetting to attach the institution head’s certificate confirming their year of study
• Not checking whether their university’s degree/diploma is recognized under Kerala’s KER Chapter XXXI framework before applying for Category II or IV