KTET February 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Complete Category-Wise Age, Qualification & Details

The KTET February 2026 Eligibility Criteria has been prescribed by Kerala Pareeksha Bhavan for candidates aspiring to become teachers in Government, Aided, and recognized schools across Kerala. Before submitting the KTET Application 2026, candidates must ensure that they satisfy the educational qualifications applicable to the category for which they are applying.

The Kerala Teacher Eligibility Test (KTET) is conducted in four categories—Category I, Category II, Category III, and Category IV—covering Lower Primary, Upper Primary, High School, Language Teachers, Specialist Teachers, and Physical Education Teachers. The eligibility conditions are framed in accordance with the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) guidelines, and the Kerala Education Act & Rules (KEAR).

KTET FEBRUARY STUDY NOTES

Download Kerala TET February 2026 Notification PDF

Candidates are advised to refer to the official KTET February 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.

Kerala TET 2026 Syllabus PDF Download

KTET February 2026 Eligibility Highlights

Kerala TET 2026 Previous Year Question Papers – Category 1

Kerala TET 2026 Previous Year Question Papers – Category 2

Kerala TET 2026 Previous Year Question Papers – Category 3

Kerala TET 2026 Previous Year Question Papers – Category 4

Who Is Eligible to Apply for KTET February 2026

This Special K-TET February 2026 notification is meant specifically for:

1. Teaching and non-teaching staff currently working in Government or Aided schools in Kerala, who have been appointed up to the 2025-26 academic year and are yet to acquire the mandatory K-TET qualification applicable to their post.
2. Non-teaching staff who require K-TET qualification to be eligible for cross-category transfer or promotion within the education department.

This is not a fresh-applicant recruitment exam; it is a qualifying test for those already in service under the Government/Aided school system, in line with the RTE Act 2009 and NCTE norms, and follows the earlier special K-TET exams conducted in 2023 and 2025 for the same category of employees. Candidates should apply only for the single category that matches the post they currently hold — the application form does not permit registration for more than one category.

Age Limit for KTET February 2026

There is no upper age limit prescribed for candidates applying for K-TET February 2026, in line with the standard practice followed for previous KTET cycles.

KTET Eligibility by Category – Minimum Qualification Required

KTET eligibility is assessed separately for four categories, based on the level of teaching or the nature of the post held. Below is the complete, category-wise breakdown exactly as prescribed in the notification.

KTET 2026 Category 1 – Lower Primary (LP) Section, Classes I to V

A candidate is eligible for K-TET Category I if they meet any one of the following:

• Higher Secondary/Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 45% marks, along with a 2-year Teacher Training Certificate (TTC/D.El.Ed, by whatever name known) conducted by the Board of Examinations, Government of Kerala, or its recognized equivalent.
• Higher Secondary/Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 45% marks, along with a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education, in accordance with NCTE (Recognition Norms and Procedure) Regulations, 2002.
• Higher Secondary/Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks, along with a 4-year Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed).
• Higher Secondary/Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks, along with a 2-year Diploma in Education (Special Education).
• Any other equivalent qualification recognized by the competent authority.

KTET 2026 Category 2 – Upper Primary (UP) Section, Classes VI to VIII

A candidate is eligible for K-TET Category II if they meet any one of the following:

• A Bachelor’s Degree (BA/B.Sc./B.Com) along with a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education/Trained Teachers’ Certificate (TTC/D.El.Ed, by whatever name known), from the Board of Examination, Government of Kerala, or its equivalent.
• A Bachelor’s Degree (BA/B.Sc./B.Com) with at least 45% marks, along with a 1-year Bachelor in Education (B.Ed), in accordance with NCTE (Recognition, Norms and Procedure) Regulations issued from time to time.
• Higher Secondary/Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks, along with a 4-year Bachelor in Elementary Education (B.El.Ed).
• Higher Secondary/Senior Secondary (or its equivalent) with at least 50% marks, along with a 4-year B.A/B.Sc.Ed or B.A.Ed or B.Sc.Ed.
• Any other equivalent qualification recognized by the competent authority.

KTET Category 3 – High School (HS) Section, Classes IX and X

A candidate is eligible for K-TET Category III if they meet any one of the following:

• A Bachelor’s Degree (BA/B.Sc./B.Com) with at least 45% marks, along with a B.Ed. degree in the concerned subject, from any university in Kerala or an equivalent qualification recognized from any other university.
• For Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology subjects specifically: an M.Sc.Ed. degree in the concerned subject with not less than 50% marks from one of the Regional Institutes of Education sponsored by NCERT. For Botany and Zoology, an M.Sc.Ed. in Life Science with at least 50% marks from a Regional Institute of Education is also accepted.
• A BA (or equivalent) with at least 45% marks, along with a pass in LTTC (Language Teacher Training Certificate).
• Any other equivalent qualification recognized by the competent authority.

This category covers High School subject teachers across all the standard HS subjects, including Malayalam, English, Hindi, Physical Science, Natural Science, Social Science, Mathematics, and other subjects notified under this category.

KTET Category 4 – Language Teachers and Specialist/Physical Education Teachers

A candidate is eligible for K-TET Category IV if they hold qualifications for the post of Language Teacher in Arabic, Hindi, Sanskrit, or Urdu (up to Upper Primary level), or for the post of Specialist Teacher or Physical Education Teacher, as specified in Chapter XXXI of the Kerala Education Act and Rules. Candidates who have acquired a Certificate/Diploma/Degree in teaching in any subject, approved by Universities/NCTE/Board of Examinations/Government of Kerala, are also eligible to apply under Category IV.

KTET February 2026 Eligibility Rules

Candidates should note the following important eligibility rules before submitting the application:

• Applicants must possess the required educational qualification on or before the last date of application.
• Candidates may apply for more than one KTET category if they satisfy the eligibility conditions for each category.
• Qualifications recognized by NCTE, the Government of Kerala, Universities, or other competent authorities are accepted wherever applicable.
• Candidates should select the correct category while filling the online application form.
• Mere qualification in KTET does not guarantee appointment. Recruitment will be made according to the rules of the respective recruiting authority.
• Candidates must produce original educational certificates during document verification whenever required.

Qualifying Marks Required to Clear KTET 2026

The minimum qualifying mark for KTET, across all four categories, is 60% out of the total 150 marks. However, relaxations apply based on reservation category:

• SC/ST/OBC/OEC candidates are given a 5% relaxation, meaning they need to score a minimum of 55% to qualify.
• Differently-abled (persons with disabilities) candidates are given a 10% relaxation, meaning they need to score a minimum of 50% to qualify.

Since KTET is purely a qualifying examination and not a rank-based competitive test, there is no merit list — any candidate who meets or exceeds the applicable qualifying percentage for their category is declared K-TET qualified, and the resulting certificate carries lifetime validity.

Additional Eligibility Requirements for KTET February 2026 Application

Beyond the academic qualification for each category, applicants under this Special K-TET February 2026 notification must also satisfy the following conditions at the time of registration:

• Must be currently working (regularly or temporarily) in a Government or Aided school in Kerala, with appointment made up to the 2025-26 academic year.
• Must correctly furnish their PEN (Permanent Employee Number); those without a PEN must instead furnish their Identification Certificate number.
• Must obtain and retain an Identification Certificate, signed by the Headmaster (for Government school staff) or countersigned by the Manager/AEO/DEO (for Aided school staff), certifying their eligibility to apply for K-TET February 2026 under this specific notification.
• Non-teaching staff applying for K-TET qualification for the purpose of cross-category transfer or promotion must be able to establish this requirement as per their service conditions.
• Each applicant is eligible to apply for only one category — the category corresponding to their current post — and not multiple categories in the same application.

Documents That Prove Your KTET 2026 Eligibility

To establish eligibility while applying, candidates should be ready with: their SSLC or equivalent certificate (register number and year of first appearance), their basic academic qualification certificate (Degree/Diploma/B.Ed/TTC as applicable to their category), their PEN number or Identification Certificate, proof of category/community for availing qualifying-mark relaxation (SC/ST/OBC/OEC/PwD certificate, where applicable), and appointment order details confirming their working school, school code, and date of joining.

Kerala TET 2026 Model Question Paper PDF Download

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Important Points for KTET 2026 Applicants 

• There is no separate experience requirement for appearing in KTET.
• Candidates can appear for the examination multiple times to improve their eligibility.
• Passing KTET only makes a candidate eligible for teacher recruitment; it does not confer an automatic appointment.
• Candidates should verify the latest recruitment notification of the concerned department for post-specific eligibility, reservation, and age requirements.