The Department of School Education, Government of Andhra Pradesh has released Notification No. 01–AP SPL-TET-August-2026 dated 24.08.2026 for the Special APTET – August 2026, a one-off Teacher Eligibility Test meant only for in-service teachers appointed prior to 2011. The exam is being held so that serving teachers can acquire the mandatory TET qualification before the Supreme Court deadline of 31.08.2028. Online applications and fee payment are open from 25.08.2026 to 24.09.2026 at cse.ap.gov.in, and the Computer Based Test will run from 11.10.2026 to 21.10.2026.
⚡ QUICK FACTS
🎓 Eligibility
In-service teachers (pre-2011)
📌 Exam Dates
11.10.2026 to 21.10.2026
💰 Exam Fee
Rs. 1,000 per paper
🗓️ Last Date
24.09.2026
Special APTET August 2026 Overview
Exam Name
Special APTET – August 2026 (Special Teacher Eligibility Test for In-Service Teachers)
Organization
Department of School Education, Government of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (exam centres in all district headquarters, municipalities, revenue divisions and mandals)
Total Vacancies
Not applicable — this is a qualifying eligibility test, not a direct-recruitment vacancy notification
Eligibility
In-service Regular and Minimum Time Scale teachers appointed prior to 2011, working in Government, Local Body, APREIS, Government Welfare Societies Residential, AP Model Schools, private aided schools and schools of other government departments
Age Limit
Not specified in notification — no age limit applies to this test
Papers
Paper-I (teachers of classes I to V) and Paper-II (teachers of classes VI to VIII), 150 marks each
Exam Mode
Online Computer Based Test (CBT), two sessions per day
Selection Process
Online Application → Computer Based Test → Initial Key and Objections → Final Key → Result
Exam Fee
Rs. 1,000 per paper (Paper-I and Paper-II charged separately)
Pay Scale
Not applicable — a pass in this test carries no appointment, stipend or salary; it only satisfies the mandatory TET qualification
Date of Notification and publishing of Information Bulletin
24.08.2026
Payment of fee through payment gateway
25.08.2026 to 24.09.2026
Online submission of application
25.08.2026 to 24.09.2026
Online mock test availability
25.09.2026
Download of hall tickets
05.10.2026 onwards
Computer Based Test
11.10.2026 to 21.10.2026 (both sessions on all days)
Release of Initial Key
24.10.2026
Objections on the Initial Key
25.10.2026 to 01.11.2026
Release of Final Key
10.11.2026
Declaration of final results
15.11.2026
Exam Fee
Category
Fee
All candidates — Paper-I
Rs. 1,000
All candidates — Paper-II
Rs. 1,000
Candidates applying for both Paper-I and Paper-II
Rs. 1,000 for each paper, paid separately (Rs. 2,000 in total)
Mode of payment
Online through the payment gateway on the official website, between 25.08.2026 and 24.09.2026
Note: The notification does not provide any category-wise fee concession — the same fee applies to all candidates. There is no Vacancy Details or Salary and Benefits section on this post because the Special APTET is a qualifying eligibility test with no posts to fill and no pay attached.
Eligibility Criteria
Criterion
Detail
Who can apply
Only in-service teachers — Regular and those appointed on Minimum Time Scale — working in Government, Local Body, APREIS, Government Welfare Societies Residential, AP Model Schools, private aided schools and schools run by other government departments
Date of appointment
Teachers appointed prior to 2011, as per the permission accorded in Government Memo No. 3303567/Services.I/A2/2026 dated 25.06.2026 and 24.08.2026
Educational qualification
The qualifications prescribed for Paper-I and Paper-II are given in the Information Bulletin available at cse.ap.gov.in from 24.08.2026
Age limit
Not specified in notification — no age limit applies
Domicile
Open only to teachers serving in the specified Andhra Pradesh institutions; private unaided school teachers and candidates not in service are not eligible
Application restriction
A pass in Special APTET cannot be used for any direct recruitment in future — for direct recruitment, candidates must appear for the regular APTET or CTET
Paper-Wise Eligibility — Which Paper Should You Appear For
Paper
Who Must Appear
Paper-I
Teachers of classes I to V. Secondary Grade Teachers and LFL Head Masters working in Government and Local Body schools appointed with both D.El.Ed. and B.Ed. qualifications are permitted to appear for Paper-I.
Paper-II
Teachers of classes VI to VIII — School Assistants, TGTs, Language Pandits and Head Masters of High Schools. School Assistants working as Primary School Head Masters shall appear for Paper-II in their concerned subject.
Both Paper-I and Paper-II
Teachers of classes I to V who intend to become teachers for classes VI to VIII, subject to possessing the other required qualifications, must appear for both papers and pay the fee separately for each.
Exam Structure and Selection Process
Stage
Details
1. Online Application and Fee Payment
25.08.2026 to 24.09.2026 at cse.ap.gov.in. Rs. 1,000 per paper through the payment gateway. No option to edit the form is provided after final submission, so all details must be reviewed before paying.
2. Mock Test and Hall Ticket
Online mock test available from 25.09.2026 so candidates can practise the CBT interface. Hall tickets can be downloaded from 05.10.2026 onwards.
3. Computer Based Test
Held from 11.10.2026 to 21.10.2026 in both sessions on all days — Session-I from 9.30 AM to 12.00 Noon and Session-II from 2.30 PM to 5.00 PM, each of 2 hours 30 minutes. Each paper carries 150 marks; the structure, content and break-up of marks are given in the Information Bulletin.
4. Initial Key and Objections
Initial key released on 24.10.2026. Objections can be filed online from 25.10.2026 to 01.11.2026 and are disposed of by an expert committee constituted by SCERT, the State Academic Authority.
5. Final Key and Result
Final key published on 10.11.2026 and final results declared on 15.11.2026. No representation, petition or objection on the Final Key will be entertained.
Normalization
As the exam is held in multiple shifts, a standard normalization formula is applied using the top 0.1% average marks and the mean plus standard deviation of each shift, with marks calculated up to 5 decimal places.
Certificate validity
Unless otherwise notified by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the Special APTET August 2026 certificate remains valid for a lifetime, for continuing in the present post of working or for promotion to the next higher post.
Pass Criteria
Community
Pass Marks (out of 150)
General / EWS
60% and above
BC
50% and above
SC / ST / PwBD / Ex-Servicemen
40% and above
Candidates with at least 40% disability (visually, orthopedically or hearing impaired, and autism) are considered as differently abled, except for hearing impairment where “Deaf” means 70 DB hearing loss and “Hard of Hearing” means 60 DB to 70 DB hearing loss in speech frequencies in both ears, as per G.O.Ms.No.36 dated 23.08.2023.
How to Apply
Download the Information Bulletin from cse.ap.gov.in (available from 24.08.2026) and confirm your eligibility and the correct paper for your post.
Open the Special TET for In-Service Teachers application link on cse.ap.gov.in or the Special TET portal at tet2dsc.apcfss.in, live from 25.08.2026 to 24.09.2026.
Pay Rs. 1,000 per paper through the payment gateway — pay twice, separately, if you are applying for both Paper-I and Paper-II.
Complete every section of the application yourself, upload the photograph and signature in the specified format, and select your preferred examination district in the district-option window.
Review every detail carefully, submit the form finally, and save or print the confirmation — no editing is possible once the form is submitted.
Note: Allotment of the examination centre is at the discretion of the department depending on the capacity of each district, and requests for change of examination centre or session are not allowed under any circumstances.
Photograph or signature rejected by the upload form?
The Special APTET application form accepts your photo and signature only in the exact pixel and KB size given in the Information Bulletin. Resize both in seconds before you start the form, so a rejected upload does not cost you the 24.09.2026 deadline.
Scanned copy in the format specified in the Information Bulletin
Employee / service details
Treasury or employee ID and school details, to establish in-service status
Proof of date of appointment
Appointment order showing appointment prior to 2011
Educational certificates
D.El.Ed., B.Ed. and other qualifying certificates relevant to the paper applied for
Community / category certificate
Required if claiming the BC, SC, ST, PwBD or Ex-Servicemen pass criteria
Disability certificate
For PwBD candidates, showing at least 40% disability as defined in the notification
Government photo ID
Aadhaar, PAN, driving licence or similar, to be carried along with the hall ticket to the exam centre
Note: The notification itself does not itemise the documents to be uploaded — the detailed procedure is in the Information Bulletin. The list above is general guidance based on what this test requires you to establish.
Do not submit the form in a hurry — no option to edit is provided after final submission, and you alone are responsible for the accuracy of every entry.
Rs. 1,000 is charged per paper, not per candidate — if you hold both D.El.Ed. and B.Ed. and want Paper-I and Paper-II, you must pay separately for each.
Do not apply if you are not an in-service teacher appointed prior to 2011 in one of the listed institutions — this Special TET is not open to fresh candidates or private unaided school teachers.
Do not assume this certificate helps in DSC or any direct recruitment — it only satisfies the mandatory qualification for continuing in your present post or for promotion.
Choose your examination district carefully, because change of examination centre or session is not allowed under any circumstances once allotted.
Raise objections only during the Initial Key window of 25.10.2026 to 01.11.2026 — no objection on the Final Key will be entertained afterwards.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the last date to apply for Special APTET August 2026? The last date for both fee payment and online submission of the application is 24.09.2026.
2. Who is eligible to appear for the Special APTET August 2026? Only in-service Regular and Minimum Time Scale teachers appointed prior to 2011 in Government, Local Body, APREIS, Government Welfare Societies Residential, AP Model Schools, private aided schools and schools of other government departments are eligible.
3. Which paper should I appear for? Teachers of classes I to V appear for Paper-I, teachers of classes VI to VIII appear for Paper-II, and teachers of classes I to V who intend to move to classes VI to VIII must appear for both papers.
4. What is the exam fee for Special APTET August 2026? Rs. 1,000 per paper, so a candidate applying for both Paper-I and Paper-II pays Rs. 2,000 in total, in two separate payments.
5. When will the Special APTET August 2026 exam be held? The online Computer Based Test will be conducted from 11.10.2026 to 21.10.2026 in two sessions daily — 9.30 AM to 12.00 Noon and 2.30 PM to 5.00 PM.
6. What are the qualifying marks in Special APTET August 2026? General and EWS candidates need 60% and above, BC candidates 50% and above, and SC, ST, PwBD and Ex-Servicemen candidates 40% and above of the 150 marks.
7. Can a Special APTET pass be used for DSC or any direct recruitment? No — a pass in Special APTET counts only for continuing in your present post or for promotion, and candidates seeking direct recruitment must appear for the regular APTET or CTET.
8. Why is a Special TET being conducted for in-service teachers now? The Supreme Court, in Civil Appeal No. 1385 of 2025 and its review order dated 29.05.2026, made TET mandatory for serving teachers with more than five years of service left and extended the compliance deadline to 31.08.2028, directing that TET be held periodically so teachers can qualify in time.
Disclaimer: The information above has been compiled from the official notification for the convenience of job seekers. Candidates are advised to verify all details from the official website before applying.
