A Haryana government teaching job. That’s the endpoint. But between you and that appointment letter sits the HTET - an exam that over 2.33 lakh candidates registered for in 2026, yet only about 14% typically qualify. The difference between those who clear and those who don’t is rarely intelligence. It’s structure.
The Board of School Education Haryana (BSEH), Bhiwani, conducts the Haryana Teacher Eligibility Test across three levels - PRT (classes 1-5), TGT (classes 6-8), and PGT (classes 9-12). Pass it, and you earn a lifetime-valid eligibility certificate that opens doors to teaching vacancies in state government schools across Haryana. The certificate doesn’t guarantee a job. Without it, though, you cannot even apply.
This page is your definitive preparation roadmap for HTET 2026 - built on official exam data, not guesswork.
HTET 2026: Key Details at a Glance
The notification for this cycle dropped on 24 December 2025. Online applications ran from the same day until 5 January 2026 - that window is now closed. Around 2.33 lakh candidates applied. The exam, originally scheduled for January, then postponed to May, then June 13-14, has now been rescheduled to 4 and 5 July 2026. If you are reading this in mid-June, you have roughly three weeks.
A second HTET session is tentatively planned for October-November 2026, giving aspirants who miss this cycle another shot within the same year.
Who Can Apply - Eligibility Snapshot
There is no upper age limit for taking the HTET exam itself, though recruitment rules for specific teaching posts may impose age caps.
- PRT (Level 1): Senior Secondary (10+2) with 50% marks, and a 2-year Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) or 4-year B.El.Ed. Candidates in the final year of D.El.Ed can also apply.
- TGT (Level 2): Bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks in the relevant subject, plus a B.Ed or D.El.Ed. Subject-specific requirements exist - for example, TGT Science requires a B.Sc with a combination of at least three subjects from Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, and Mathematics.
- PGT (Level 3): Postgraduate degree with 50% marks in the concerned subject, plus a B.Ed.
- Common requirement: Matric with Hindi/Sanskrit, or higher education with Hindi as a subject.
Reserved category candidates (SC/PH of Haryana domicile) get a 5% relaxation in qualifying marks for eligibility.
Application Fee
Payment was online via net banking, debit/credit card, or UPI.
HTET Exam Pattern and Syllabus Breakdown
Every level follows the same core structure: 150 multiple-choice questions, 150 total marks, 2 hours 30 minutes, offline OMR-based exam, no negative marking. The language medium is bilingual - Hindi and English - except for language papers themselves.
Level 1 - PRT (Primary Teacher, Classes 1-5)
Level 2 - TGT (Classes 6-8) & Level 3 - PGT (Classes 9-12)
TGT subject choices: Science, Mathematics, English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Social Studies, Punjabi, Urdu, Physical Education, Home Science, Art, Music.
PGT subject choices: Biology, Chemistry, Commerce, Computer Science, Economics, English, Fine Arts, Geography, Hindi, History, Home Science, Mathematics, Music, Physical Education, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sociology, Urdu.
Syllabus - What Each Section Actually Tests
Child Development & Pedagogy (30 marks)
Theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, and Kohlberg. Constructs of intelligence, language and thought. Gender roles and bias. Inclusive education. Learning motivation. Assessment and evaluation. The BSEH syllabus specifies topics like “formulating appropriate questions for assessing readiness levels of learners” and “understanding children’s errors as significant steps in the learning process”.
Language Sections - Hindi and English (15+15 marks each)
Grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension (unseen passages), idioms and phrases, and pedagogy of language development. The official syllabus for Hindi covers संज्ञा, सर्वनाम, विशेषण, क्रिया, वचन, लिंग, उपसर्ग-प्रत्यय, वाक्य निर्माण, पर्यायवाची, विपरीतार्थक, मुहावरे, अलंकार, सन्धि, तत्सम-तद्भव, समास. For English: articles, modals, narration, pronouns, adverbs, adjectives, verbs, prepositions, tenses, punctuation, voice, vocabulary, idioms and phrases.
Quantitative Aptitude (10 marks) and Reasoning (10 marks)
Number system, fractions, algebra, ratio and proportion, mensuration, profit and loss, average, age problems, speed-time-distance, percentage, simple and compound interest, time and work. Reasoning covers analogies, similarities, syllogisms, space visualization, problem-solving, blood relations, arithmetical reasoning, figure classification, logical reasoning.
Haryana GK (10 marks)
Haryana districts, history, culture, folk dances, food, historical places, stadiums, current affairs related to the state. Sample HTET GK questions include: “हरियाणा की स्थापना कब हुई?” (1 November 1966), “हरियाणा का राजकीय पक्षी क्या है?” (काला तीतर), “हरियाणा का क्षेत्रफल की दृष्टि से भारत में कौन सा स्थान है?” (21वाँ).
Mathematics (PRT, 30 marks) and Environmental Studies (PRT, 30 marks)
Mathematics: number systems, simplification, decimals, data interpretation, fractions, LCM/HCF, ratio and proportion, percentage, profit and loss, mensuration, time and work, time and distance, geometry. Environmental Studies: food sources, materials, living world, moving things, electric circuits, magnets, natural phenomena, natural resources.
Subject-Specific (TGT/PGT, 60 marks)
This is the heaviest section for TGT and PGT candidates. The syllabus follows the NCERT/CBSE curriculum for the relevant class range - classes 6-10 for TGT, classes 9-12 for PGT - with difficulty raised to graduation and post-graduation level respectively.
Qualifying Marks and the Competitiveness Reality
BSEH sets fixed qualifying marks. There is no sectional cut-off - your total score matters.
These cut-offs have remained consistent since at least 2022.
Now, the reality check: in HTET 2024, only about 14% of the 3.35 lakh candidates who appeared qualified. The pass percentage was 16.2% for Level 1 (PRT), 16.4% for Level 2 (TGT), and just 9.65% for Level 3 (PGT). That means roughly 5 out of 6 candidates failed. The exam is not impossibly hard, but it is unforgiving if you prepare casually.
How to Prepare for HTET 2026 - A Practical Strategy
If your exam is in July 2026, you have around three weeks. If you are targeting the next session in October-November, you have 4-5 months. The core principles remain the same. What changes is the intensity.
Foundation Principle: PYQs First, Textbooks Second
Previous year question papers are the single highest-ROI resource you possess. HTET solved papers with answer keys are available from 2015 through 2024 for all levels and subjects. Solve them under timed conditions. Analyse every wrong answer. Start topic-wise PYQs even before you finish the syllabus - they teach you what the exam values, which is often different from what textbooks emphasise. In competitive exams, 60-70% of questions come from recurring themes that appear year after year.
Subject-Wise Approach
Child Development & Pedagogy
Don’t memorise definitions. Create your own classroom examples for each theory. If you can explain Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development by describing an actual teaching moment, you understand it well enough. The official syllabus specifically mentions “understanding children’s errors” and “cognition and emotions” - these are areas where application-based questions are common. Master the differences between Piaget, Kohlberg, and Vygotsky, because at least 5-6 questions directly compare their frameworks.
Language Sections
For English, mastering 25-30 grammar rules (subject-verb agreement, tenses, prepositions, articles) covers the bulk of error-detection questions. SP Bakshi’s Objective General English is widely recommended. Read one newspaper editorial daily - it builds comprehension speed and vocabulary simultaneously.
For Hindi, the official syllabus lists specific grammar topics: संज्ञा, सर्वनाम, विशेषण, क्रिया, वचन, लिंग, उपसर्ग-प्रत्यय, वाक्य निर्माण, पर्यायवाची, विपरीतार्थक, मुहावरे, अलंकार, सन्धि, तत्सम-तद्भव, समास. Lucent’s General Hindi or Arihant’s Hindi guide are solid references.
Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning
Speed matters. Memorise tables up to 30, squares up to 40, cubes up to 20, and fraction-to-percentage conversions (1/2 = 50%, 1/3 = 33.33%, up to 1/15). This alone saves 15-20 seconds per calculation. RS Aggarwal’s Quantitative Aptitude and Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning are the standard go-to books. Daily practice of 15-20 reasoning questions builds pattern recognition.
Haryana GK
This 10-mark section is where many candidates leave marks on the table because they underestimate it. Focus areas: Haryana’s formation (1 November 1966), first Chief Minister (Bhagwat Dayal Sharma), largest district by area (Sirsa), state animal (blackbuck), state bird (black francolin/kala teetar), state sport (wrestling), major rivers, dams, and recent schemes. A dedicated Haryana GK book from Lucent or local publishers, supplemented with daily news about the state, is enough. Review for 15-20 minutes daily - consistency matters more than volume here.
Subject-Specific Paper (TGT and PGT)
This 60-mark section is the largest single block. Your graduation/post-graduation textbooks are the foundation, but you must filter them through the lens of NCERT curriculum for classes 6-10 (TGT) or 9-12 (PGT). Solve subject-wise previous year papers first - identify which topics repeat, and prioritise those. For PGT, the syllabus extends to post-graduation depth, so standard university-level references matter. The official BSEH syllabus for each subject is available in the notification PDF.
Recommended Books - A Curated List
These are the most consistently recommended books across multiple HTET-focused platforms. One book per subject, revised thoroughly, beats collecting five and finishing none.
For Those With 3 Weeks Left - A Countdown Plan
Week 1 (June 14-20): Take one full-length mock test immediately. Analyse your weakest sections. Spend the rest of the week on targeted revision of those weak areas, using topic-wise PYQs. Do not try to cover the entire syllabus from scratch.
Week 2 (June 21-27): Alternate between full-length mock tests (every other day) and subject-specific revision. Focus heavily on Child Development & Pedagogy and Haryana GK - they are common across all levels and offer high mark potential with relatively contained syllabi.
Week 3 (June 28-July 3): One mock test on June 28 or 29. From June 30 onward, stop new learning entirely. Revise only your error journal, condensed notes (15-20 pages per subject), and the formulas/key dates you’ve memorised. On July 3, light revision only. Lay out your admit card, ID proof, and stationery. Sleep by 10:00 PM. A well-rested brain performs dramatically better than one that studied until midnight.
For Those Targeting the October-November 2026 Session
You have a 4-5 month runway. Divide it into three phases:
Phase 1 (Months 1-2): Foundation. Complete Child Development & Pedagogy concepts thoroughly. Revise NCERT textbooks for your subject up to Class 10 (TGT) or 12 (PGT). Build Haryana GK notes. For Language sections, master grammar fundamentals and start daily vocabulary.
Phase 2 (Month 3): Deep practice. Solve topic-wise PYQs for every section. For your subject paper, solve the last 5 years of HTET subject-specific question papers under timed conditions. Maintain an error journal - a notebook where you record every mistake with the correct answer and a one-line explanation of why you went wrong. This journal becomes your most valuable revision tool.
Phase 3 (Final 4-6 weeks): Mock test marathon. Aim for 20-25 full-length mock tests with detailed analysis. After each test, spend at least one hour categorising your errors: silly mistakes, concept gaps, or time pressure. Address each category differently. During the last 10 days, stop all new learning. Revise exclusively from your condensed notes and error journal.
Common Mistakes That Cost Candidates
Avoiding PYQs until the syllabus is “complete.” This is the single most frequent error. Start solving topic-wise previous year questions from week one of your preparation.
Underestimating Haryana GK. A free 10 marks that many candidates neglect until the final week - by which point cramming is ineffective. Daily 15-20 minutes throughout your preparation period is the better approach.
Studying without a written plan. Intention without a schedule is just a wish. Write down weekly targets. Every Sunday evening, check what you completed and what slipped. Adjust accordingly.
Skipping mock tests because they feel uncomfortable. That discomfort is precisely why they work. Candidates who solve 20-25 full-length mocks consistently outperform those who solve 5-10.
Changing answers unnecessarily. Your first instinct is usually correct. Unless you find a clear factual error, don’t second-guess yourself. Multiple topper interviews across competitive exams confirm that second-guessing leads to incorrect changes far more often than correct ones.
HTET 2026 Admit Card and Exam-Day Instructions
The admit card is expected to be released 3-4 days before the exam on bseh.org.in. Download it, print it, and verify all details - your name, roll number, exam centre address, and photograph. Carry a valid photo ID (Aadhaar, voter ID, PAN, or passport) along with the admit card. Entry without either is not permitted.
On exam day, reach the centre at least 30 minutes before the reporting time. HTET uses OMR sheets - practise shading circles cleanly at home. There is no negative marking, so attempt every question. But don’t rush - 150 questions in 150 minutes gives you roughly one minute per question. In the first pass, answer everything you’re confident about. In the second pass, return to the marked questions and apply elimination techniques. In the final 10 minutes, ensure every question has an answer.