How to get hired
Match your degree to the class you want to teach
The qualification rules come from NCTE and apply to schools under the RTE Act, which includes most private schools:
- Classes 1–5 (primary): 12th with the required marks plus a two-year D.El.Ed (or the four-year B.El.Ed), and TET Paper I. The Supreme Court held in 2023 that a B.Ed is not a qualification for primary teaching and has repeated it since, so B.Ed holders applying for primary posts are routinely turned away.
- Classes 6–8 (upper primary, TGT level in many schools): graduation plus B.Ed (or D.El.Ed), and TET Paper II.
- Classes 9–12 (TGT/PGT): graduation or post-graduation in the subject plus B.Ed. CBSE schools generally ask for a master's in the subject for PGT posts.
The four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) is the newer route that combines a degree and B.Ed; check ncte.gov.in for recognised institutes before you enrol anywhere.
CTET and state TETs
CTET, run by CBSE, has Paper I for classes 1–5 and Paper II for classes 6–8, each with 150 multiple-choice questions over two and a half hours. You qualify at 60% (relaxations apply for reserved categories), and a TET certificate is now valid for life. Central schools and many private CBSE schools ask for CTET; state government schools usually want that state's TET. In 2025 the Supreme Court made TET compulsory for in-service teachers too, and in May 2026 it refused to review that ruling but gave them until 31 August 2028 to qualify.
The school hiring season
Private schools hire most between January and April for the session that starts in April or June, with a second smaller round in October and November. The process is usually a written test in your subject, a demo class of 20–30 minutes in front of the coordinator or a real section, and a talk with the principal. For the demo, teach one small idea well: an opening question, a board plan, a quick check for understanding at the end. Carry your degree, B.Ed and TET certificates, experience letters and a short lesson plan.
International schools following Cambridge or IB programmes ask for subject strength, spoken English and, increasingly, their own training certificates, which some schools pay for after you join.
Tutoring, coaching and edtech
Coaching institutes for entrance exams hire on subject depth and a demo, not degrees; pay grows with results and student feedback. Online tutoring platforms run subject tests and a mock session. The online tutor guide covers which ones are real.
Corporate trainers
Companies, IT services firms and BPOs hire trainers for process, product, soft skills and technical training. An "Academic Trainer" or "Process Trainer" usually comes from inside the industry, with a train-the-trainer certificate added later.
Classroom reality
School days start early and the work continues at home: corrections, lesson plans, report cards and parent messages. Six-day weeks are common in private schools. Pay in many private schools is modest at the start and rises slowly; strong board results, a coordinator role or a move to a larger school chain are where it jumps. Ask whether the school pays through the summer break and deducts PF, and get your appointment letter before the session starts.