The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) has released the official notification for the Secondary Teacher Eligibility Test (STET) 2026. Eligible candidates can submit the Bihar STET 2026 online application from 17 August 2026 to 31 August 2026 through the designated registration portal.
Bihar STET 2026 will be conducted for Paper I (Secondary Level) and Paper II (Higher Secondary Level). The examination will be held in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode, and each paper will carry 150 marks. There will be no negative marking, although BSEB will apply the normalisation process where the examination is conducted in multiple shifts.
Candidates planning to appear for the examination should carefully check the subject-wise educational qualification, age limit, qualifying marks and application fee before submitting the form.
Table of Contents
Bihar STET 2026 Overview
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Examination | Bihar Secondary Teacher Eligibility Test 2026 |
| Conducting Authority | Bihar School Examination Board |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Application Start Date | 17 August 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | 31 August 2026 |
| Examination Mode | Computer-Based Test |
| Questions | Multiple Choice Questions |
| Negative Marking | No |
| Total Marks | 150 |
| Certificate Validity | Lifetime |
Paper I Subjects
Paper I of the Bihar STET 2026 is designed for candidates aspiring to become secondary-level teachers. As per the official notification, this paper covers a wide range of general teaching subjects to ensure eligibility across different academic streams.
The subjects included under Paper I are Hindi (101), Urdu (102), Bengali (103), Maithili (104), Sanskrit (105), Arabic (106), Persian (107), Bhojpuri (108), English (109), Mathematics (110), Science (111), Social Science (112), Physical Education (113), Music (114), Fine Arts (115), and Dance (116).
In addition to these subjects, the notification also provides specific eligibility provisions for Special School Teachers, ensuring inclusive opportunities for candidates with relevant qualifications.
For language-based subjects at the secondary level, candidates are required to have studied the relevant language at the graduation level, either as an Honours subject or a subsidiary subject. However, this is subject to the detailed eligibility criteria mentioned in the official notification.
Paper II Subjects
Paper II of Bihar STET 2026 is conducted for the higher secondary level and includes a wide range of subjects for candidates aspiring to become teachers at this level. The subjects covered under Paper II are Hindi (201), Urdu (202), English (203), Sanskrit (204), Bengali (205), Maithili (206), Magahi (207), Arabic (208), Persian (209), Bhojpuri (210), Pali (211), and Prakrit (212).
In addition to language subjects, the paper also includes core academic disciplines such as Mathematics (213), Physics (214), Chemistry (215), Zoology (216), History (217), Geography (218), Political Science (219), Sociology (220), Economics (221), Philosophy (222), Psychology (223), Home Science (224), Commerce (225), Computer Science (226), Agriculture (227), Music (228), and Botany (229).
The notification further clarifies that Multimedia & Web Technology will not be included in Paper II, as this subject is not part of the teaching curriculum in state schools.
Important Dates
The notification specifies the application schedule, but the examination date is not provided in the advertisement.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Bihar STET 2026 Notification | August 2026 |
| Online Application Begins | 17 August 2026 |
| Last Date for Online Application | 31 August 2026 |
| Last Date for Fee Payment | 31 August 2026 |
| Admit Card Release | To be announced |
| Bihar STET 2026 Exam Date | To be announced |
Candidates should complete the application and pay the fee within the prescribed period. Applications submitted through any mode other than online will not be accepted.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must satisfy the educational and professional qualifications prescribed for the particular paper and subject they choose.
Paper I Educational Qualification
For several general Paper I subjects, candidates are generally required to have:
- Graduation or postgraduate qualification in the specified subject or subject group with at least 50% marks, along with a B.Ed from an NCTE-recognised institution; or
- Graduation/postgraduation with at least 45% marks along with B.Ed under the applicable NCTE regulations; or
- A four-year B.A.Ed/B.Sc.Ed degree from an NCTE-recognised institution.
Separate qualification conditions apply to Physical Education, Music, Fine Arts, Dance and Special School Teacher categories.
Mathematics Subject Group
For Mathematics at the secondary level, candidates should have studied Mathematics along with two subjects among areas such as:
- Physics
- Electronics
- Computer Science
- Chemistry
- Statistics
Graduates in Engineering with a specialisation in Mathematics may also meet the specified eligibility conditions.
Science Subject Group
For Science, the graduation-level subject combination may include Zoology, Botany and Chemistry. The notification also recognises Biotechnology and Microbiology as part of the relevant science combination.
Social Science Subject Group
For Social Science, candidates must have studied any two subjects among:
- History
- Geography
- Economics
- Political Science
At least one of the two must be History or Geography. Ancient History is treated as equivalent to History for this purpose.
Paper II Educational Qualification
For several general Paper II subjects, candidates are generally required to have:
- Postgraduation in the relevant subject with at least 50% marks and B.Ed from an NCTE-recognised institution; or
- Postgraduation with at least 45% marks along with B.Ed under the relevant NCTE regulations; or
- Relevant postgraduate qualification with B.A.Ed/B.Sc.Ed as prescribed; or
- Postgraduation with at least 55% marks or equivalent grade along with a three-year integrated B.Ed-M.Ed qualification.
Separate educational conditions apply to Commerce, Computer Science, Agriculture and Music.
Computer Science Eligibility
The Bihar STET 2026 notification provides several qualification routes for Computer Science, including specified qualifications such as B.E./B.Tech in Computer Science or IT, MCA, postgraduate qualifications in Computer Science and other recognised computer qualifications.
A significant provision is that B.Ed is not compulsory for candidates applying for the Computer Science subject, provided they satisfy one of the prescribed technical qualification routes.
Age Limit
The minimum age for appearing in Bihar STET 2026 is 21 years as on 1 August 2026.
| Category | Maximum Age as on 1 August 2026 |
|---|---|
| Unreserved Male | 37 years |
| Unreserved Female | 40 years |
| Backward Class – Male/Female | 40 years |
| Extremely Backward Class – Male/Female | 40 years |
| SC – Male/Female | 42 years |
| ST – Male/Female | 42 years |
Age Relaxation
Persons with Disabilities are eligible for a 10-year relaxation of the upper age limit under the applicable Bihar Government provisions.
Ex-servicemen may receive relaxation of three years plus the period of service rendered in defence services, subject to the condition that their actual age at the time of application should not exceed 57 years.
The notification specifically states that because STET has been conducted regularly in 2023, 2024 and 2025, no additional upper-age relaxation will be provided to trained candidates of any category for STET 2026.
Application Fee
Candidates can apply for either Paper I or both Paper I and Paper II.
| Category | One Paper | Both Papers |
|---|---|---|
| General / EWS / BC / EBC | ₹960 | ₹1,440 |
| SC / ST / PwD | ₹760 | ₹1,140 |
Fee concessions are available only to eligible permanent residents of Bihar.
Candidates residing outside Bihar will not receive reservation-related concessions. Such candidates, including women from outside Bihar, will be treated in accordance with the General category provisions for relaxation and fee purposes.
Exam Pattern
Bihar STET 2026 will contain 150 multiple-choice questions.
| Section | Marks |
|---|---|
| Specified Subject | 100 |
| Teaching Art and Other Skills | 50 |
| Total | 150 |
Each question carries one mark, and the notification clearly states that there will be no negative marking.
Exam Duration
Candidates will get 150 minutes, or 2 hours and 30 minutes, to complete the CBT.
Syllabus
For Paper I, the subject-related syllabus will correspond to the graduation-level curriculum applicable in state universities for the relevant subject.
For Paper II, the notification states that the relevant curriculum will broadly correspond to the Honours-level graduation syllabus applicable at the universities of Bihar.
Out of 150 marks:
- The 100-mark test will assess the selected subject.
- 50 marks will be awarded for teaching art and other competencies.
Qualifying Marks
BSEB has prescribed category-wise minimum qualifying percentages.
| Category | Minimum Qualifying Marks |
|---|---|
| General | 50% |
| Backward Class | 45.5% |
| Extremely Backward Class | 42.5% |
| SC/ST | 40% |
| PwD | 40% |
| Women | 40% |
Reservation-related benefits will be applied in accordance with the Bihar Government rules and are available to eligible permanent residents of Bihar.
Normalisation Will Apply
BSEB has confirmed that normalisation will be used if the computer-based examination is conducted across multiple shifts or dates.
The candidate’s result will be determined based on the normalised score, not the raw score.
For example, if a General category candidate obtains a raw score of 76 out of 150 but the score becomes 74.90 after normalisation, the candidate will be considered unsuccessful because the General category qualifying requirement is 75 marks.
Although there is no negative marking for incorrect answers, the Board has also pointed out that answering a larger number of questions incorrectly may indirectly affect the normalised score.
Bihar STET Certificate Validity
Candidates who qualify for Paper I or Paper II will receive an eligibility certificate.
The notification confirms that the Bihar STET qualifying certificate will remain valid for a lifetime.
This means successful candidates will not have to qualify for STET again merely because their eligibility certificate has expired.
How to Apply for Bihar STET 2026
The application process will be completed online in three stages:
- Registration
- Filling the application form
- Payment of examination fee
Candidates should first complete registration using their active mobile number and email ID. An OTP will be generated for verification, after which the User ID and password will be provided.
After logging in, candidates can fill in their personal, educational and other required information, upload documents and pay the examination fee.
Payment can be made through:
- Debit Card
- Credit Card
- Net Banking
- UPI
Candidates should preview the application carefully before final submission. Requests for correction after the permitted application process or after issuance of the original admit card will not be entertained.
Photograph and Signature Requirements
Candidates must upload a recent colour photograph and signature in the prescribed format.
Photograph
- File size: 80 KB to 200 KB
- Dimensions: approximately 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm
- Background: white or light coloured
- Face and eyes should be clearly visible
- The photograph should be recent
Head coverings or dark glasses are not permitted while taking the photograph, subject to the conditions specified by the Board.
Signature
The scanned signature file should be between 50 KB and 200 KB.
Candidates should not sign the declaration or application using English capital letters.
Documents to Be Uploaded
Candidates may be required to upload self-attested copies of relevant documents, including:
- Class 10 certificate and marksheet
- Class 12 certificate and marksheet
- Graduation certificate and marksheet
- Postgraduation certificate and marksheet, where applicable
- B.Ed certificate and marksheet, where applicable
- Other educational qualification certificates
- Bihar residence certificate
- Caste certificate, where applicable
- Updated non-creamy layer certificate for BC/EBC candidates
- PwD certificate, where applicable
- Ex-serviceman certificate, where applicable
Applicants should ensure that all information entered in the form corresponds exactly with their supporting documents.
