How to become a teacher: school teacher and professor
D.El.Ed, B.Ed, ITEP, CTET/TET and recruitment exams for school teachers – plus NET and PhD for college professors.
Primary teacher (Classes 1–5)
- 12th pass (usually 50%).
- D.El.Ed (2 years) or B.El.Ed (4 years).
- Clear CTET Paper I or your state's TET.
- Apply in state teacher recruitment, KVS, NVS, or private schools.
Upper primary and secondary teacher (Classes 6–10)
- Graduation in the subject you want to teach.
- B.Ed (2 years) – or the 4-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) after 12th, through NCET.
- Clear CTET Paper II or state TET (for TGT posts).
- Recruitment: KVS, NVS, DSSSB, state TGT exams.
Senior secondary teacher (Classes 11–12, PGT)
Post-graduation in the subject + B.Ed, then KVS/NVS/state PGT recruitment.
College lecturer / assistant professor
- Post-graduation with 55%.
- Clear UGC NET (or a state SET), or complete a PhD.
- Apply to universities and colleges. A PhD is needed for promotion and for many university posts.
Tips
- TET certificates are now valid for life (CTET), so clear it early.
- Child development & pedagogy is common to all teaching exams – master it.
Still confused?Take the 2-minute career finder quiz, or check which government exams you are already eligible for.Career quizEligibility
Course fees, seats, exam patterns and salaries change over time and differ between institutions and states. Use this guide to plan, and confirm details on official websites before you decide.
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