3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Aug 25, 2026 06:40 PM IST
The Department of School Education, Government of Andhra Pradesh, has announced the conduct of the Special Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for in-service teachers appointed before 2011. Along with the announcement, the authority has started the application process for the special exam from today, August 25, on the designated portal, sptet.apcfss.in.
All the teachers who are currently serving regularly and appointed on minimum time scale in government and local body schools, Andhra Pradesh (AP) residential schools, AP model schools, private aided schools and other government-department schools can apply for the special TET 2026.
The application fee for AP special TET 2026 is fixed at Rs 1,000, and the last date for registration is September 24. Candidates are required to apply before the prescribed deadline ends.
As per the official information bulletin released on August 24, the special TET 2026 will be conducted from October 11 to October 21 in two sessions each day. The first session will be held from 9:30 am to 12 pm, and the second session will subsequently be held from 2:30 pm to 5 pm.
The Special TET 2026 exam will contain two papers, namely Paper I and Paper II. Paper I will be carried out for regular school teachers of classes I to V, while Paper II will be conducted for those teaching classes VI to VIII.
Special AP TET 2026: Detailed exam schedule
Candidates applying for the exam can check the announced schedule below:
| Notification and Information Bulletin release date | August 24, 2026 |
| Application process start date | August 25, 2026 |
| Last date to register | September 24, 2026 |
| Last date to pay application fee | September 24, 2026 |
| Mock test date | September 25, 2026 |
| Admit card release date | From October 5, 2026 |
| Exam dates | October 11 to October 21, 2026 |
| Release of provisional answer key | October 24, 2026 |
| Objection window dates | October 25 to November 1, 2026 |
| Final answer key release date | November 10, 2026 |
| Display of results | November 15, 2026 |
The introduction of this special TET exam comes after the decision made by the Supreme Court earlier this year. The apex court made TET qualification mandatory for all the teachers seeking to continue in service. Considering difficulties faced by states and serving teachers, the Court extended the deadline for qualifying TET to August 31, 2028. The Court also directed authorities to conduct TET exams periodically, preferably twice a year, so eligible teachers get enough opportunities to qualify.