A CTET qualifying certificate has lifetime validity for appointment, unless the appropriate government notifies otherwise. An older certificate that still mentions seven years does not need to be replaced merely because that wording appears on it. CBSE's validity notice changes the printed condition and says revised certificates for previous CTET examinations will not be issued for this purpose.
The rule is also reflected in the CTET September 2026 information bulletin, whose certificate-validity section states lifetime validity for all categories. The certificate provisions discussed here are separate from an examination timetable or application window.
| Question | Official position |
|---|---|
| How long is it valid? | Lifetime, subject to the government's notification provision |
| Must an old seven-year certificate be replaced? | CBSE's 2021 notice says it will not issue revised documents for this change |
| Can a qualified candidate attempt CTET again? | Yes, including to improve the score |
| Does qualification guarantee employment? | No, recruitment eligibility and selection remain separate |
What happens to a CTET certificate showing seven years?
The CBSE public notice dated 21 June 2021 follows NCTE's communication of 9 June 2021. It replaces the earlier seven-year wording in the marks statement and eligibility certificate with the lifetime-validity provision.
That makes the notice relevant to holders of older paper certificates. The old printed expiry condition and the subsequent official amendment need to be read together. A duplicate-document request serves a different purpose, such as obtaining a document copy; it is not the renewal process for the validity change.
Can you take CTET again after qualifying?
Yes. The 2026 bulletin says there is no limit on attempts to acquire a CTET certificate and permits qualified candidates to appear again to improve their scores. The official CTET FAQ gives the same answer to the repeat-attempt question.
A fresh attempt is therefore different from extending an old certificate's validity. Candidates deciding whether to sit again should read the applicable examination bulletin and the recruitment notice for the post they intend to seek, rather than assume that an older certificate automatically requires another examination.
How do you download a CTET certificate?
CBSE's Duplicate Marks sheet and Certificate page separates records into two routes. It links 2011 to 2016 documents to the Duplicate Academic Document System, or DADS. For 2018 onwards, it directs candidates to DigiLocker.
The CTET page lists these steps for the DigiLocker route:
- Sign in to DigiLocker with the registered mobile number or Aadhaar number.
- Choose Get More Now or Get Issued Documents.
- Select Central Board of Secondary Education, Delhi.
- Choose Teacher Eligibility Test Mark-sheet or Certificate.
- Enter the roll number and select the passing year.
- Select the checkbox and then Get Document.
The retrieved document should appear in Issued Documents. CBSE's page says Aadhaar should be linked to the DigiLocker account before following these steps. It also warns that DigiLocker can change its interface, so these are the labels described on CTET's public guidance page, not a claim that every account screen will remain identical.
Does lifetime validity mean eligibility for every teaching post?
No. The CTET FAQ says qualification does not confer a right to recruitment and that CBSE conducts the examination rather than provides jobs. The 2026 bulletin also leaves final eligibility verification to the recruiting or appointing authority. A valid certificate satisfies a certificate requirement where applicable; it does not replace the rest of a vacancy notice.
Paper coverage matters too. The bulletin identifies Paper I with teaching Classes I to V and Paper II with Classes VI to VIII. Someone intending to teach at both levels must appear in both papers. Lifetime validity does not turn one paper's qualification into the other.
For related education coverage, read the CTET examination and admit-card guide, the NISHTHA course update for teachers and our one-year postgraduate eligibility explainer.
