OSSTET Syllabus and Exam Pattern, Stream by Stream

Who sits which OSSTET paper

Each candidate writes only one paper, chosen by the post they are qualified for.

• Paper I (Category I): trained graduate teachers in arts, science with physics, chemistry and maths (PCM), or science with chemistry, botany and zoology (CBZ), plus Hindi teachers and classical teachers of Sanskrit, Telugu and Urdu.
• Paper II (Category II): physical education teachers.

Passing gives you an eligibility certificate, not a job. Teacher recruitment in Odisha is done separately, and the recruiting authority decides how the certificate is used. Go through the eligibility clauses in the BSE notice line by line, since the degree, training (B.Ed or the physical education course) and minimum percentages are spelt out post by post there.

OSSTET exam pattern: section-wise marks

Paper II keeps sections I, II and IV unchanged. In place of stream content, its 60-mark section III is drawn from the certificate and bachelor courses in physical education (C.P.Ed and B.P.Ed).

Both languages are compulsory for every candidate. Section III is in English for arts and science streams, while the Hindi and classical papers use their own language and script. Section IV is set in English.

OSSTET syllabus for the stream content section

Section III carries the most marks in the paper, so know the topics of your own stream well.

TGT Arts

• History: the Indian story from early times through the Mughal and colonial periods, Odisha's own past, the freedom struggle
• Political science: our Constitution, how union and state governments work, panchayats and municipal bodies
• Geography: landforms, climate, resources and the geography of India and Odisha
• Economics: basic concepts, Indian economy, planning and development

TGT Science (PCM)

• Mathematics: sets, algebra, quadratic equations, trigonometry, coordinate and solid geometry, calculus, statistics and probability
• Physics: motion and gravitation, behaviour of matter, sound waves, light, static charges, circuits and electromagnetic induction
• Chemistry: fundamental concepts, periodicity and bonding, equilibria, basics of organic chemistry and hydrocarbons

TGT Science (CBZ)

• Chemistry, as for the PCM stream
• Botany: plant diversity, structure, physiology, genetics and ecology
• Zoology: animal diversity, human physiology, cell biology and evolution

Hindi and classical teachers

• Literature, prose and poetry comprehension, grammar and the contributions of well known poets and writers in the chosen language

Language and pedagogy sections in detail

Odia (20 marks)

• Grammar, usage and vocabulary, with a passage to read and answer on
• The exact topic list is printed in the board's syllabus; read it before you start

English (20 marks)

• Reading an unseen prose passage or a poem and answering on it
• Grammar: prepositions, reported speech, the passive, tenses and articles
• Spoken English and commonly mispronounced words

Child development, pedagogy, school management and evaluation (50 marks)

• Growth and development during adolescence, individual differences, intelligence and learning theories
• Inclusive classrooms and learners with diverse needs
• Teaching methods, critical pedagogy and the teacher's role
• School management, leadership and educational administration
• Assessment and evaluation, including continuous and comprehensive evaluation

Section IV is the largest common block. A score of 35 or more here takes a lot of pressure off the content section.

Qualifying marks and how scores are used

No mark is lost for an incorrect choice, so leave none of the 150 items blank. Your certificate shows that you met the standard; recruitment merit is decided under the rules of the hiring authority, which may count the certificate as eligibility only. Check the latest notice for how long the certificate remains valid.

Splitting your study time

Plan by marks. Stream content plus pedagogy account for 110 marks out of 150, which means they should take most of your week, while the two languages need steady practice rather than long hours.

1. Weeks 1 to 4: stream content, chapter by chapter, using the state's high school and higher secondary textbooks plus your degree notes.
2. Weeks 5 and 6: pedagogy theory from your B.Ed notes, with a page of key terms for every learning theory.
3. Weeks 7 and 8: Odia and English grammar daily for 40 minutes, plus a passage a day.
4. Weeks 9 and 10: past OSSTET papers from the board under the 150-minute limit.

Books and official sources

Start with Odisha board textbooks for classes 9 and 10 and the higher secondary books of your stream, since content questions rarely go beyond them. For pedagogy, your B.Ed or physical education course material is the core text. The official syllabus and notices are on the BSE website, and the same board's elementary test is covered on the OTET Paper 2 syllabus page.

For other teacher tests, see the teaching exams section, the STET syllabus for secondary level tests in other states, and the OSSSC syllabus for Odisha's Group C recruitment as a second option.