CTET exam is one of the most important competitive exams for candidates who want a teaching job in schools run by the central government, schools under the control of UTs and schools owned by the state government. The exam is conducted by the Central Board of School Education (CBSE) at two levels: Paper I and Paper II. Teachers who want to get a job in primary schools (Class I to V) need to appear for the Paper I and the teachers who want to apply for a job in a middle school (Class VI to VIII) need to appear for the Paper II.

Now with the release of CTET exam form and final exam dates, this is the time for the candidates to pull up their socks. How to prepare for CTET is one of the most common questions asked by the candidates who have filled the form. So, to answer this question, we are providing some tips and tricks for CTET preparation.

Start with a timetable

No matter which exam you are preparing for, having a well-planned timetable is the necessity. Based on CTET exam date, check the availability of time with you, go through the syllabus and divide your time for different sections covered in the question papers. Further, make sure you include small breaks in your study time as studying at a stretch can make you feel sleepy and tired.

Know the exam pattern

Knowledge of exam pattern helps you understand the importance of different sections, availability of time in the examination hall, marking system and the type of questions asked. Based on this knowledge, you can give your CTET preparation the right direction.

CTET Exam Pattern

•         Exam Mode – Offline
•         Language – Question papers will be in Hindi and English Language (Candidates can choose 2 languages from the given options of 20 languages)
•         Type of questions – Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
•         Total Marks – Both Paper I and Paper II carry 150 marks
•         Marking System – 1 mark for each correct answer
•         Negative Marking – There is no negative marking as per CTET exam pattern
•         Total Time – 2 hours and 30 minutes

Follow CTET Syllabus:

This the is the most important step when making CTET timetable. First of all, you should check the syllabus, understand the topics, their difficulty level and accordingly make your study plan. Basically, the syllabus for both the papers cover topics from the NCERT books for classes I to VIII.

CTET Syllabus for Paper I – It includes topics on Child Development & Pedagogy, Language 1, Language 2, Mathematics and Environmental Studies.

CTET Syllabus for Paper II – It includes topics on Child Development & Pedagogy, Language 1, Language 2, Science, Mathematics and Social Studies.

Solve Mock Tests

CTET online mock tests can help you a lot in the preparation. By practicing CTET mock tests, you can understand the exam pattern well. Choose a website that provides performance analysis reports after the mock tests are over. Actually, it helps you understand your strengths and weaknesses, based on which, you can further improve your study plan.

As the exam will be conducted in offline mode, you can download the online mock tests and can solve them on ORM sheets to work on your speed and accuracy. Sites like Eduwhere provide CTET mock tests which can easily be solved in both online and offline format.

Focus on your weak areas

With the help of CTET mock tests, you can find your weak areas. Once you are aware of your weak areas, start working on them to convert the same into your strengths. Some candidates make a mistake of skipping the difficult topics or the areas they are weak at all together, which is definitely not a good choice. You can find the subject or section-wise CTET test series and can solve the same to boost your confidence. Revise each subject regularly to remember what you have studied.

Make notes and revise them regularly

Develop a habit of making short notes when going through the syllabus. These notes help in regular revision of the syllabus. Moreover, these save your time during revision as you just need to go through the important topics instead of the complete chapter again. Regular revision from notes also helps you in remembering the concepts, formulas and important theories.

 Use only required and right study material

No doubt with the easy and free access to a large amount of CTET study material online, candidates have got many choices, but at the same time it has also made preparation difficult. It not just increases the confusion but also create unnecessary pressure on the candidates to read everything. So, to avoid unwanted pressure of going through a huge amount of study material, just go with the required books.

Important Books for CTET Preparation

Tricks for the exam day

•         Reach the examination hall at least half-an-hour early
•         Don’t waste too much time on a single question
•         Don’t get nervous. Just keep calm and focus on the questions.
•         Attempt easy questions and the ones you know, you are completely confident.
•         Read every question carefully to avoid any mistakes. Though there is no negative marking, but wrong attempts will still affect your final score.

 Wish you all the best for your preparation!