TNTET Paper 1 & Paper 2: Syllabus, Pattern & Eligibility

The Tamil Nadu Teacher Eligibility Test (TNTET) is the eligibility examination a candidate must pass to be appointed as a teacher in Classes 1 to 8 in Tamil Nadu. It is conducted by the Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB), and it is a qualifying test rather than a recruitment examination: passing it makes you eligible, and a later recruitment examination decides the actual appointment.

ஆசிரியர் தகுதித் தேர்வு (TNTET) தாள் 1 மற்றும் தாள் 2 என இரண்டு பிரிவுகளாக நடைபெறுகிறது.

Quick facts

Paper I or Paper II — which one?

Paper I is for a candidate who wants to teach Classes 1 to 5. Paper II is for Classes 6 to 8. They are separate examinations, written on separate days, and a candidate may take both.

The eligibility route differs. Paper I is generally taken by candidates who hold a diploma in elementary education (D.El.Ed or D.T.Ed), and Paper II by graduates with a B.Ed. Because the minimum qualification is set per cycle in the TRB notification, that page is the authority for the year being applied for — the rule has been revised more than once.

The pattern of each paper

Three sections are common to both papers — Child Development and Pedagogy, Language I and Language II — and together they are 90 of the 150 marks. The 60-mark subject section is what differs, and in Paper II the candidate chooses either the Mathematics-and-Science block or the Social Science block according to the subject they intend to teach.

Every question is objective and carries one mark. There is no negative marking.

What each paper actually covers

The Board publishes the syllabus as separate documents, one per section. This is what is in them — the section names below are the Board’s own.

Paper I — Child Development and Pedagogy (ages 6 to 11)

It is published in two parts. Part A, Child Development, runs through five units: the child’s profile at the beginning of primary education physically and cognitively; the same profile socially and emotionally; physical and intellectual development during the primary years; social and emotional development; and moral development. Part B, Learning, adds six more: learning itself; the types, levels and approaches to learning; concepts and constructs; the factors that contribute to learning; the constructivist approach to learning; and learning and knowledge.

Paper I — the other four sections

• Mathematics is set across Classes 1 to 5 and is written topic by topic — shapes and figures, numbers, measurement, patterns, fractional ideas and data handling — each with the expected learning outcome beside it.
• Environmental Studies follows the Classes 1 to 5 EVS content: plants, animals and birds, small creatures, water, air, food, work, and the world around the child.
• Language I (Tamil) and Language II (English) are each a full 30-mark section, so 60 of the 150 marks rest on the two languages together.

Paper II — Child Development and Pedagogy (ages 11 to 14)

Ten units: Nature of Educational Psychology; Human Growth and Development; Cognitive Development; Social, Emotional and Moral Development; Learning; Intelligence and Creativity; Motivation and Group Dynamics; Personality and Assessment; Mental Health and Hygiene; and Guidance and Counselling.

Paper II — the subject section

Here the candidate chooses one of two 60-mark blocks, and the choice should follow the subject they intend to teach:

• Mathematics and Science — for a candidate aiming to teach maths or science at the upper primary level.
• Social Science — for a candidate aiming to teach history, geography or civics.

Both blocks are examined at the level of Classes 6 to 8, and the Board publishes a separate syllabus document for each. The whole set of documents is on the Teachers Recruitment Board’s syllabus page.

Qualifying marks

The qualifying standard is set by the Government of Tamil Nadu and is currently 90 out of 150 for the open category, with concessions for the reserved categories under the applicable order. The Teachers Recruitment Board carries the relevant government order on its own site.

TET is a qualifying examination, not a recruitment examination. Clearing it makes a candidate eligible to teach; it does not award a posting. Candidates who qualify then appear for the separate recruitment examination that the TRB conducts for the posts themselves.

When the examination is held

TNTET is not annual in the way a board examination is — it is held when the Board notifies a cycle, and in recent years the Board has run separate sittings for working teachers. In the most recent cycle (notification 01/2026) the Board conducted Paper I on 4 July 2026 and Paper II on 5 July 2026.

That recent history is worth understanding for planning: the Board has been clearing its backlog of working-teacher candidates, so the pattern and the qualifying rules are published fresh with each notification rather than carried over.

What to study from

• The Board’s TET syllabus. TRB publishes the syllabus for Paper I and Paper II separately. It is the scope statement for the 60-mark subject section.
• School textbooks for the subject content. The subject section is set at the level of the classes you intend to teach, so the Class 8 books and below cover Paper I, and the higher class books cover Paper II. The Tamil and English hubs collect every class for those two language papers.
• Practice material. TET study materials on this site, plus the Board’s own model question papers and answer keys.
• Continue into the recruitment step. Once TET is cleared the recruitment examination follows, and TRB study materials covers that stage.

How to prepare

• Child Development and Pedagogy is the differentiator. It sits in both papers with the same weight, and it is the section most candidates under-prepare.
• Do not treat the language papers as free marks. Language I and Language II are 60 of the 150 marks between them — more than any other single block except the subject section.
• Prepare the subject section for the class range you actually want. A Paper II candidate picking Mathematics and Science is examined differently from one picking Social Science.
• Use the Board’s own model papers. The TRB publishes model question papers and answer keys, and they are the closest thing to the real paper.

Frequently asked questions

Who conducts the TNTET?

The Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB), Tamil Nadu conducts the Tamil Nadu Teacher Eligibility Test.

How many marks is each TNTET paper?

Each paper carries 150 objective questions for 150 marks, to be answered in three hours, with one mark per question and no negative marking.

What is the difference between Paper 1 and Paper 2?

Paper 1 is for teaching Classes 1 to 5 and Paper 2 for Classes 6 to 8. Three sections are common to both; the subject section is what changes.

Is TNTET a recruitment exam?

No. It is an eligibility test. After qualifying, candidates appear for the separate TRB recruitment examination for appointment.

What is the TNTET qualifying mark?

90 out of 150 for the open category, with concessions for reserved categories as notified by the Government of Tamil Nadu.

When was the TNTET last held?

In the most recent cycle, Paper I was held on 4 July 2026 and Paper II on 5 July 2026.

Can I take both Paper 1 and Paper 2?

Yes. They are separate examinations and a candidate may appear for both, which widens the range of classes they can be considered for.

Related pages on KalviMani

TET Study Materials · TRB Study Materials · Competitive Exams