Merit Margमेरिट मार्ग
Exam Guide · Eligibility

Who can apply

Eligibility turns on three things: your academic qualification, whether CTET is required for the post, and your age on the notification’s closing date. Category relaxations and reservation then apply on top.

Last reviewed: 21 September 2026

Qualification, CTET & age by post

A degree in the relevant subject plus a teaching qualification is the baseline; the level rises from PRT to PGT.

PostQualificationCTETMax age
PRTPrimary TeacherSenior Secondary (Class XII) with ≥50% + D.El.Ed. (2-yr) or B.El.Ed. (4-yr); proficiency in Hindi & English.CTET Paper-I mandatory30 years
TGTTrained Graduate TeacherBachelor's/Honours in the relevant subject with ≥50% + B.Ed.; proficiency in Hindi & English.CTET Paper-II mandatory35 years
PGTPost Graduate TeacherMaster's (or integrated PG) in the relevant subject with ≥50% + B.Ed.; proficiency in Hindi & English.Generally not required for PGT40 years
On the CTET requirement: PRT requires CTET Paper-I, TGT requires CTET Paper-II, and PGT generally does not require CTET. Some subjects and cycles carry additional conditions (for example language proficiency or a specific NCTE-recognised qualification) — always confirm the exact wording in the notification.

Age relaxation

Upper-age relaxations are granted over and above the post’s maximum age, as per Government of India norms.

CategoryRelaxation
SC / ST5 years
OBC (non-creamy layer)3 years
Persons with Disabilities (PwD)up to 10 years
Ex-servicemenas per GoI formula
KVS employeesas specified in the notification

Reservation

Vacancies are reserved category-wise; PwD reservation applies horizontally across categories.

15%
SC
7.5%
ST
27%
OBC
10%
EWS
4%
PwD (horizontal)
Verify every figure against the notification. Age reckoning date, relaxation formulas (especially for ex-servicemen and KVS employees) and the exact reservation roster are fixed by the official notification for each cycle, and can differ from the indicative figures shown here.