TN TET
TN TET is a recruitment exam, relevant to aspirants preparing for teaching and education-sector recruitment.
The Tamil Nadu Teacher Eligibility Test (TN TET, also written TNTET) is the state-level eligibility test conducted by the Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB), Tamil Nadu, for candidates who want to teach Classes I to VIII in Tamil Nadu schools. It has two papers: Paper I for Classes I to V and Paper II for Classes VI to VIII. TN TET is an eligibility test, not a recruitment exam. Clearing it gives you a certificate that makes you eligible to apply for teaching posts, but it does not by itself give you a job.
The last cycle open to all eligible candidates was TNTET 2025 (Notification No. 03/2025), with results declared on 30 January 2026. In 2026, TRB has run special TET sessions for working teachers, and the second of these (Notification No. 02/2026) is scheduled for 20 December 2026. This page explains both, along with eligibility, fees, the exam pattern, syllabus, qualifying marks, certificate validity and a practical preparation plan.
Table of Contents
TN TET at a Glance
Particular | Details |
|---|---|
Exam name | Tamil Nadu Teacher Eligibility Test (TN TET / TNTET) |
Conducting body | Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB), Tamil Nadu |
Type of test | Eligibility test (not a recruitment exam) |
Papers | Paper I (Classes I to V) and Paper II (Classes VI to VIII) |
Mode | Offline, OMR-based objective test |
Questions and marks | 150 MCQs per paper, 1 mark each, 150 marks |
Duration | 3 hours per paper |
Negative marking | None |
Qualifying marks | 60% (90 marks) for General; lower for reserved categories under Tamil Nadu government orders |
Certificate validity | Lifetime |
Latest open cycle | TNTET 2025, Notification No. 03/2025 dated 11 August 2025 |
Current session | Special TNTET for working teachers, Notification No. 02/2026 dated 26 October 2026 |
Official website |
Latest TN TET Updates and Current Cycle
TRB has conducted TN TET since 2012. The last two years have been unusual, so it helps to know which notification applies to you before you plan.
TNTET 2025 (open cycle): Notification No. 03/2025 was issued on 11 August 2025. Paper I was held on 15 November 2025 and Paper II on 16 November 2025. Results were published on 30 January 2026, with qualifying marks set under G.O. (Ms) No. 23 dated 28 January 2026.
Special TNTET 2026, first session: A notification released in February 2026 was open only to working teachers appointed on or before 1 September 2025. Paper I was held on 4 July 2026 and Paper II on 5 July 2026, and results were declared in October 2026.
Special TNTET 2026, second session: Notification No. 02/2026, dated 26 October 2026, is again only for working teachers. Applications run from 27 October to 19 November 2026, and the exam is tentatively scheduled for 20 December 2026.
Next open cycle: As of 4 November 2026, TRB has not announced the next TN TET cycle open to fresh candidates. Watch the official website for it.
The special sessions follow a September 2025 Supreme Court ruling, as widely reported, that requires in-service teachers of Classes I to VIII to clear TET. If you are a fresh B.Ed or D.El.Ed candidate, the special sessions are not for you, but they use the same papers, so your preparation does not change.
TN TET Important Dates
Special TNTET 2026 (Notification No. 02/2026, working teachers only)
Event | Date |
|---|---|
Notification | 26 October 2026 |
Online application | 27 October to 19 November 2026 |
Application edit window | 20 to 22 November 2026 |
Paper II | 20 December 2026, forenoon (tentative) |
Paper I | 20 December 2026, afternoon (tentative) |
Hall ticket, answer key, result | To be announced |
TNTET 2025 (Notification No. 03/2025, last open cycle)
Event | Date |
|---|---|
Notification | 11 August 2025 |
Last date to apply | 8 September 2025 |
Hall ticket | 3 November 2025 |
Paper I | 15 November 2025 |
Paper II | 16 November 2025 |
Tentative answer key | 25 November 2025 |
Result | 30 January 2026 |
Tentative dates come from the notification schedule and can change. Track the notifications page on the TRB website and your registered email.
TN TET Eligibility
Eligibility depends on the paper you choose. Read the full table in the notification for your cycle, because each route has its own percentage condition. For the detailed rules and examples, see the TN TET eligibility guide.
Qualification for Paper I (Classes I to V)
Higher Secondary plus diploma: At least 50% in Higher Secondary (45% under the NCTE 2002 norms route) and a two-year Diploma in Elementary Education.
Four-year integrated route: At least 50% in Higher Secondary and a four-year B.El.Ed.
Special education route: At least 50% in Higher Secondary and a two-year Diploma in Education (Special Education).
Graduate routes: Graduation with a two-year Diploma in Elementary Education, or graduation with at least 50% and a B.Ed.
Qualification for Paper II (Classes VI to VIII)
Graduation plus B.Ed: At least 50% in graduation or post-graduation and a B.Ed. Reserved categories (SC, ST, BC, MBC, DNC and persons with disabilities) can qualify with 45% in graduation under NCTE norms.
Graduation plus diploma: Graduation and a two-year Diploma in Elementary Education.
Integrated degrees: At least 50% in Higher Secondary and a four-year B.El.Ed, or a four-year B.A.Ed or B.Sc.Ed.
Special education: Graduation (or post-graduation) with at least 50% and a B.Ed (Special Education).
Age Limit
For TNTET 2025, candidates had to be at least 18 years old as on 1 July 2025, and there was no upper age limit. The special sessions for working teachers do not set an age limit, because they are open only to serving teachers.
Who Can Apply for the Special TNTET
Only working Secondary Grade Teachers, BT Assistants, BRTEs, equivalent-cadre teachers and IEDSS special education teachers appointed on or before 1 September 2025 can apply. They must be in service in government, government-aided or recognised unaided schools in Tamil Nadu.
Application Fee and How to Apply
Category | Fee per paper |
|---|---|
General and other categories | Rs. 600 |
SC, SC(A), ST and differently abled | Rs. 300 |
Paper I and Paper II need separate applications and separate fees. The fee is paid online and is not refundable.
Steps to Apply
Open the notification on the TRB website and read the eligibility table for your paper.
Register on the TRB candidate portal at https://trb1.ucanapply.com/login and note your login ID and password.
Fill in personal, community and educational details exactly as they appear on your certificates.
Upload your photograph, signature and the required documents.
Pay the fee online through net banking, credit card or debit card.
Submit, then download and keep the application printout.
Document Specifications (Notification No. 02/2026, as reported)
Document | Format | File size |
|---|---|---|
Photograph | JPG, JPEG or PNG | 40 to 60 KB |
Signature | JPG, JPEG or PNG | 20 to 40 KB |
Service certificate (Annexure-I), community and educational certificates | 250 to 300 KB each |
Common reasons applications run into trouble include a mismatch between the name on the application and the certificates, choosing the wrong paper, unreadable uploads and missing the edit window. Data submitted online is treated as final, and requests to change the exam centre are not entertained.
TN TET Exam Pattern
Both papers have 150 multiple-choice questions for 150 marks, answered on an OMR sheet in 3 hours, with no negative marking.
Paper I (Classes I to V)
Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
Child Development and Pedagogy (ages 6 to 11) | 30 | 30 |
Language I (Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada or Urdu) | 30 | 30 |
Language II (English) | 30 | 30 |
Mathematics | 30 | 30 |
Environmental Studies | 30 | 30 |
Total | 150 | 150 |
Paper II (Classes VI to VIII)
Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
Child Development and Pedagogy (ages 11 to 14) | 30 | 30 |
Language I | 30 | 30 |
Language II (English) | 30 | 30 |
Mathematics and Science, or Social Science | 60 | 60 |
Total | 150 | 150 |
What This Means for You
Attempt every question: With no negative marking, a blank answer can only cost you marks.
The subject section decides Paper II: The 60-question Mathematics and Science or Social Science section carries 40% of the marks, so it needs the most practice time.
Pedagogy is a common score: Child Development and Pedagogy appears in both papers, so strong preparation there pays off twice if you take both.
Some older pages still show outdated qualifying marks or old cycle dates, so follow the current notification. The full section-wise breakdown is on the TN TET exam pattern page.
TN TET Syllabus Summary
Section | Paper | Important topics |
|---|---|---|
Child Development and Pedagogy | I and II | Growth and development, learning theories, constructivism, intelligence, motivation, personality, assessment, guidance |
Language I (Tamil and others) | I and II | Comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, literature, language teaching methods |
English | I and II | Reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, listening and speaking skills, teaching of English |
Mathematics | I | Numbers, operations, fractions, measurement, geometry, data handling, teaching of mathematics |
Environmental Studies | I | Family, food, water, plants and animals, health, environment, Tamil Nadu geography basics |
Mathematics and Science | II | Number system, algebra, geometry, measurement, physics, chemistry and life science basics |
Social Science | II | History, geography, civics and economics |
TRB frames the syllabus around the Tamil Nadu school curriculum for the classes each paper covers. Questions can test understanding a little beyond textbook level, so state board textbooks are the natural base. The unit-wise checklist is on the TN TET syllabus page.
Qualifying Marks and Result
There is no interview or merit list in TN TET. The result shows each candidate as Qualified or Not Qualified based on the final answer key.
Category | Qualifying percentage | Marks out of 150 |
|---|---|---|
General (OC) | 60% | 90 |
BC, BC(M), MBC/DNC | 50% | 75 |
SC, SC(A), ST | 40% | 60 |
Persons with disabilities | 50% for TNTET 2025; reported as reduced to 40% by a February 2026 order | 75 (2025); 60 (from 2026, as reported) |
The 2025 figures come from the TRB result notice under G.O. (Ms) No. 23 dated 28 January 2026. Before that order, reserved categories needed 55%. Confirm the PwD figure in the notification for your session. Indicative results data and target scores are on the TN TET cut-off page.
TN TET Certificate Validity and What It Leads To
A Tamil Nadu government order of August 2021 made the TN TET certificate valid for life; it was earlier valid for seven years. Qualified candidates download the certificate from their TRB candidate dashboard after the result.
The certificate is an eligibility condition. Teaching posts are filled through separate TRB recruitment notifications, such as those for Secondary Grade Teachers and BT Assistants, each with its own exam, vacancies and pay scale. Paper I generally matches primary posts and Paper II matches upper-primary posts. Check each recruitment notification for its exact requirements and salary.
How to Prepare for TN TET
Start with pedagogy: Child Development and Pedagogy is common to both papers and rewards concept clarity over memorising.
Use state board textbooks: For content sections, work through the relevant Tamil Nadu textbooks class by class and make short notes.
Practise language sections daily: Comprehension passages and grammar questions improve fastest with daily practice.
Weight Paper II by marks: Give the 60-mark subject section the most time, but do not neglect the 30-mark sections.
Practice with Mock Tests
TRB does not publish an official online mock test for TN TET, because the exam is OMR-based. After each result, it releases the final answer key with the master question paper, which you can use for practice. From about six weeks before the exam, take one full-length timed test a week, then two a week in the final month, and analyse every wrong answer the same day.