India, Aug. 9 -- justify;">New Delhi: The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) chairperson Pankaj Arora has dismissed media reports claiming that the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) will be expanded to four levels including, for the first time, classes 9 to 12 from this year or next. He clarified that such changes will be considered only after 2027, when the first batch of the four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) graduates.

Arora said the NCTE, the statutory body that prescribes minimum qualifications for school teachers, has not issued any directions to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in this regard.

Currently, the CBSE conducts the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) in two paper...