APTET Paper 1 exam-day guide
APTET Paper 1 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Printed hall ticket (at least two copies)
Download it from the official APTET portal as soon as the link opens and print on clean A4 paper. Read every field: candidate name, roll number, paper (Paper I), the two language options you chose, test centre name and full address, reporting time and gate-closing time. If any detail is wrong, contact the helpline immediately rather than correcting it by hand. Keep one copy in your bag and one with a family member.
Original photo identity proof plus one photocopy
Carry the original ID you declared in the application - Aadhaar is the most commonly used. The exact list of accepted ID documents and whether a photocopy is required changes between notifications, so confirm with the provider (official information bulletin/helpline) and carry the safest option: original Aadhaar plus a photocopy.
Passport-size photographs matching the hall ticket
Keep 2–3 recent colour photographs, same as the one uploaded in the application, in case the centre asks for pasting or verification. Confirm the requirement with the provider, as some CBT centres do not ask for them.
Blue or black ballpoint pen
Answers are marked on the computer, but a pen is usually needed for signing the attendance sheet and, where applicable, the rough-sheet or biometric register. Confirm with the provider whether pens are supplied at the centre.
Aadhaar card for biometric verification
Entry in recent computer-based TETs involves Aadhaar-linked biometric capture (fingerprint/iris and photograph). Carry the same Aadhaar number you entered in the application. Confirm the exact biometric procedure with the provider.
Leave phones, smartwatches, Bluetooth devices and study material at home
Do not carry any electronic device, smart watch, Bluetooth earphone, calculator, or printed notes into the centre. Centres generally provide no safe storage, so plan to travel without them or hand them to an accompanying person outside the gate.
Transparent water bottle and a light snack for after the test
Some centres permit a transparent bottle inside the hall; others do not. Confirm with the provider, and keep any snack outside the test hall so you can eat after the 150 minutes are over.
Complete a free mock test on the official practice link
Spend one session on the provider's mock or demo test to learn the screen layout: question palette, Save & Next, Mark for Review, Clear Response, language-switch button, and the final Submit flow. Familiarity with the interface saves several minutes on exam day.
Re-check your two language choices
Paper I includes Language I and Language II. Verify which two languages you selected in the application and that the hall ticket shows them correctly - you cannot change them at the centre. Confirm the change window, if any, with the provider.
Travel plan to the centre, tested in advance
Visit or map the centre a day earlier, note the route, traffic choke points and a backup route, and plan to reach at least 60–90 minutes before the reporting time printed on the hall ticket. Late entry after gate closing is normally refused, but confirm the exact cut-off with the provider.
Read the instructions page on the hall ticket and the bulletin once more
Note the marking scheme (150 questions, 150 marks, 150 minutes in Paper I), whether negative marking applies, and qualifying marks for your category. Confirm every one of these numbers with the provider rather than relying on social-media posts.
Plan the day
Download and print the hall ticket; verify name, roll number, paper, languages, centre address and reporting time. Assemble the original ID, photocopy, photographs and pen in one envelope. If the hall ticket shows an error, call the helpline the same day.
Stop starting new topics. Revise only high-yield areas: Child Development and Pedagogy (Piaget, Vygotsky, Kohlberg, learning theories, inclusive education), Mathematics pedagogy and classes I–V content, EVS pedagogy and content, and the two languages' grammar and comprehension strategies. Re-read your own short notes and error log.
Do one full 150-question timed practice set in one sitting, and one official mock on the actual interface. Practise the 60-seconds-per-question rhythm: first pass on easy questions, second pass on the ones you marked for review.
Reconnoitre the centre or study the route on a map, decide the departure time with a 45-minute buffer, arrange transport, and tell a family member the centre address and expected return time.
Pack the envelope with hall ticket, ID, photocopy, photographs and pen; lay out comfortable clothes. Check the weather and any local transport disruption. Eat a normal meal, avoid heavy caffeine after evening, and sleep 7–8 hours. Do not stay up revising.
Reread the hall ticket instructions and the bulletin sections on prohibited items, biometric verification, gate closing time and the marking scheme. Confirm anything unclear with the provider's helpline, not with coaching-centre groups.
Eat a light, familiar breakfast; avoid experimenting with new food or energy drinks. Recheck the envelope contents against the checklist. Leave the phone and smart watch at home. Start early enough to reach the centre 60–90 minutes before reporting time.
Join the queue for verification, keep the hall ticket and ID in hand, complete biometric capture and frisking, and find your allotted seat. Use the washroom before entering the hall. At the seat, log in only when instructed, read the on-screen instructions, and confirm your question paper and language set are correct.
Read the instructions screen fully, check the timer, and write nothing until the test starts. Note how the question palette colour codes answered, unanswered and marked-for-review questions, so you can use it confidently later.
Aim for roughly one minute per question. Answer confident questions immediately, use Save & Next every time, and mark genuinely doubtful ones for review rather than sitting on them. Use the rough sheet for calculations in Mathematics and EVS; do not spend more than two minutes on any single question.
Use the palette to jump to unanswered and marked questions. Recheck that every attempted answer was actually saved, since an unsaved answer can be lost. If there is no negative marking (confirm from the bulletin), ensure no question is left blank.
Submit only after reviewing the summary screen showing attempted and unattempted counts. Confirm the final submit prompt, then leave the hall quietly, collect your belongings, and note the response-related details if the provider issues any acknowledgement.
Rules to check
Carry only the permitted items into the test hall. Mobile phones, smart watches, Bluetooth devices, calculators, notes and bags are prohibited; possession inside the hall is normally treated as malpractice and can lead to cancellation of the candidature. If you are unsure whether an item is allowed, confirm with the provider and leave it at home.
Your identity must match the hall ticket. Carry the original photo ID you declared in the application; a mismatch in name, photograph or ID number can result in refusal of entry. Report any discrepancy to the helpline before exam day rather than at the gate.
Cooperate fully with biometric capture, frisking and seat verification. Refusal to allow biometric verification or any attempt to impersonate another candidate is serious malpractice. Ask the invigilator before touching the keyboard or mouse beyond the login stage.
There is normally no provision for a break during the computer-based test. Use the washroom before entering the hall; if you must leave mid-test, the clock keeps running and an escort may accompany you. Confirm the centre's specific policy with the provider.
Do not communicate with other candidates, exchange material, or look at another screen once the test begins. Follow every instruction of the invigilator; any direction to stop writing or to log out must be obeyed immediately.
Understand the scoring before you start: Paper I carries 150 questions of 1 mark each with 150 minutes, and separate qualifying marks apply for general and reserved categories. Whether negative marking applies, the exact qualifying percentage, and certificate validity must be confirmed from the current official information bulletin, not from memory.
Raise a hand for any technical problem - frozen screen, mouse failure, or a wrong question paper - instead of trying to fix it yourself. Ask the invigilator to log the issue; do not restart or shut down the system.
Do not carry the rough sheet, question paper or any centre material out of the hall, and do not photograph the screen. Keep the hall ticket and any acknowledgement safe until results are declared, as they may be needed for later stages.