APTET – 2026: Syllabus for

SGT Part – I: Section A. General Knowledge and Current Affairs

Total Weightage: 10 Marks (Allocated across 20 Evaluation Units)

• Coverage of active national and international current updates, state structural policy shifts, educational frameworks updates, and environmental updates.

SGT Part – I: Section B. Perspectives in Special Education and Inclusive Education

Total Weightage: 5 Marks

Philosophical and Sociological Foundations of Education

• Concept, Meaning and definition of Philosophy with respect of Special Education
• Relationship of philosophy with educational practices
• Overview of major educational philosophies: Idealism, Naturalism, Pragmatism, Humanism
• Prominent Indian and Western Philosophers and their contributions: John Dewey, Kilpatrick, Rousseau, Mahatma Gandhi, Sri Aurobindo, Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda

Nature and Agencies of Education

• Types of educational agencies: Formal, Informal, Non-Formal
• Modes of Education: Regular, Open, Distance & Online, Blended Learning
• Types of Schools and Learning Contexts: Regular School, Inclusive School, Special School, Home Education & Home-based Programmes, Family, Community, and Mass Media
• Role of Governmental Organizations: NCERT, SCERT, NCTE, UGC, Ministry of Education
• Role of National and International NGOs in promoting education for children with disabilities

Perspectives in Special education – Ancient to Contemporary

• Aims and Historical perspectives of Disability (Special education and Inclusive education) National and International & Models of Disability
• Education of children with special needs; Addressing diverse learning needs
• Concept and types of diversity, Inclusion and Models of Inclusion
• Marginalization vs. Inclusion, Changing Practices in Education of Children with Disabilities, Segregation, Integration & Inclusion, Diversity in Classrooms
• Principles & barriers of Inclusive Education
• Differentiated teaching, Co-Teaching Methods
• Role of Stakeholders (Family, School etc.) of Inclusive Education & their responsibilities
• Role of Community in inclusion, Resource Mobilization for Inclusive Education
• New trends in special education, Integrated education, Inclusive Education

Educational Foundations in India (Commissions, Acts, Policies, Schemes, Provisions, Frameworks)

• Indian Constitution and Education: Directive Principles, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Constitutional Provisions on Education, Article 21A (Free and Compulsory Education, 2002)
• Pre and Post Independent India – Education Committees and Commissions (e.g., The University Education Commission, the Secondary Education Commission, Kothari Commission)
• IEDC -1974, APPEP, DPEP, PIED, SSA, RMSA, IEDSS, National Education Policy 1986, Mental Health Act -1987, Plan of Action 1992, NCF -2005, National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, NCFFS- 2022, and NCFSE2023
• RTE Act 2009 and Amendments, RCI ACT -1992, National Trust Act – 1999, National Policy for Persons with Disabilities -2006, PWD ACT – 1995, RPWD ACT -2016
• Ensuring Equality of Opportunity and Inclusive Education: At Pre Primary, Primary and Elementary levels.

Concept and Meaning of Inclusive Education

• Meaning, Concept of Diversity and Inclusivity; Principles of inclusion
• Integration vs. Inclusive Education; Barriers and facilitators of inclusive education
• Framework, Acts, Policy provisions for inclusive education; Importance of early identification and intervention for inclusion
• Foundational Literacy for Inclusive Education; Role of stakeholders in inclusion
• Need for curricular adaptations; Inclusive practices: Adaptations, accommodations and modifications
• Types of curricular adaptations, Differentiated instructions and Universal Design of learning
• Collaborations for inclusive education: Special schools and inclusive schools; Special educators and general teachers
• Social Welfare Department and Department of Education; Special and general teacher education programs; Voluntary organizations and Government agencies.

SGT Part – I: Section C. Psychology with Reference to CWSN

Total Weightage: 8 Marks

Growth and Development

• Definition and meaning of growth and development, Principles and factors affecting development, Nature vs. Nurture, Domains of development- Physical, social, emotional, cognitive, moral and language, Developmental milestones and identifying deviations and giftedness
• Ages and stages of development (Birth to Childhood): Prenatal (conception to birth), Infancy (Birth to 2 year), Toddler (2 to 4 years), Early childhood (Up to 7 years), Late childhood (7 to 14 years)

Psychology and Learning

• Educational Psychology; relevance and scope for educators, Basic principles of learning given by Thorndike, Pavlov, Skinner, Bandura, Piaget and Vygotsky
• Learning styles and types of learners; Socio-cultural factors affecting learning; Implications for children with special needs

Psychological processes and their Implications for Children with different Disabilities:

• Attention: Concept and factors affecting attention in classroom
• Perception: Concept and factors affecting perception
• Memory: Types and strategies to enhance memory of children
• Intelligence: Definition, meaning and significance of IQ, Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences
• Motivation: Intrinsic, extrinsic, factors affecting motivation

Classroom Management & ICT integration

• Stimulating learning environment physical and emotional, common behaviour problems in children
• Functional analysis of behaviour, Behaviour management techniques: Crisis and Intervention, Cognitive and behavioural and modifying behaviours of children with special needs in inclusive and special classrooms
• ICT Core Fundamentals: Meaning and scope of Information and Communication Technology, Technological input store devices for disabled, Major ICT devices & Evolution of ICT (Hardware, Software)
• Assistive Software for CWSN: Screen Reading Software in Computers and Mobile Devices, Online Accessible Libraries, Accessible Software Apps for Mobility using GPS location finder, object recognition, recreation and games
• Basic Computer Applications: Keyboard operations, Basic Windows Operations, Ease of Access operations, Using application software – MSOffice–Calculator, Language, Input methods and Calendar
• Internet applications: Internet search, drive operations (Google Search and Drive), E-mail operations, Use of speech synthesizers, Adaptive devices for input access, reading and operations of persons with disabilities; Using internet, chat, social media, online meetings for learning and teaching purposes

SGT Part II: Section D. Category of Disability Specialization

Total Weightage: 45 Marks

Target Track Fields: ID, HI, VI, SLD, ASD, CP with MD

Understanding Disability

• Concept, Meaning and Definition – Handicap, Impairment, Disability, activity limitation, habilitation and Rehabilitation; Addressing diverse learning needs
• Definition, categories (Benchmark Disabilities) & the legal provisions for PWDs in India; An overview of Causes, Prevention, prevalence & demographic profile of disability: National and Global
• Concept, meaning and importance of Cross Disability Approach and interventions, Definition, Causes & Prevention and effects; Types in different categories of disabilities
• Screening Tools and procedures; Assessment of disabilities, Characteristics; Anatomy and Physiology; Sensory Training, Assistive Technology; Therapeutics
• Educational Implication and Management of: Locomotors Disability-Poliomyelitis, Cerebral Palsy/Muscular Dystrophy; Visual Impairment-Blindness and Low Vision; Hearing Impairment- Deafness and Hard of Hearing; Speech and language Disorder; Deaf-blindness and multiple disabilities; Intellectual Disability; Specific Learning Disabilities; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Multiple Disabilities, Chronic Neurological conditions and Blood Disorders.

Early Identification and Intervention of children with various disabilities

• Concept, need, importance and domains of early identification and intervention of disabilities and twice exceptional children; Organizing Cross Disability Early Intervention services; Screening and assessments of disabilities and twice exceptional children
• Family – Role of parents, community, ECEC and other stakeholders in early intervention as per RPD- 2016 and NEP 2020
• Models of early intervention- (home-based, centre-based, hospital-based, combination) with reference to transition from home to school
• Individualized Educational Programme: Concept, components of Individualized Educational Programme (IEP) and Individualized family support programme (IFSP)
• Developing IEP for home-based teaching programme, special school setting and inclusive school setting
• Teaching strategies for group teaching in special schools, individual, small group and large group instruction
• Class room management – Team teaching, Shadow teaching, Peer tutoring and Cooperative learning, use of Positive Behavioural Intervention Strategies (PBIS)

Human Resource in Disability Sector

• Human resource development in disability sector – Current status, Needs, Issues and the importance of working within an ethical framework
• Role of international bodies (International Disability Alliance (IDA) UNESCO, UNICEF UNDP, WHO) in Disability Rehabilitation Services
• International conventions and Policies such as UNCRPD,UNESCAP, Salamanca declaration, MDGs and SDGs; Biwako Millennium Frame Work, CBM, ICEVI
• Role of National Institutes (AYJNISLD, ISLRTC, NIEPID, NIEPMD, NIEPVD, NILD, NIMHR, PDUNIPPD, SVNIRTAR in Disability Rehabilitation Services)
• Government welfare schemes and provisions for Children with Special Needs, Role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in disability inclusive services and development programs, Services of NGOs.

SGT Part II: Section E. Methodology in Special Education and Inclusive Education

Total Weightage: 12 Marks

For students with Intellectual Disability (ID):

• Teaching strategies for developing personal and social skills in students with ID including mild to severe levels of ID, and individuals with high support needs, Strategies for teaching functional academics
• Methods of curricular content and process, adaptations for students with intellectual disabilities
• Management of challenging behaviors – functional assessment (antecedent, behavior, consequence), intervention strategies – Token economy, Contingency contracting, Response cost, over correction, restitution and Differential reinforcement and other behavioral strategies
• Group Teaching at various levels – Pre-primary, Primary levels, development and use of TLM and ICT for ID
• Various types of Evaluation: Entry level, Formative and Summative, Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) in the Indian educational system

For students with Hearing Impairment (HI):

• Modes and methods of Linguistic Communication: Oralism – Principles, Justification, Limitations; Educational Bilingualism- Principles, Justification, Limitations; Total Communication – Principles, Justification, Limitations
• Trends in Oralism – Auditory Verbal Approach (AVA), Principles, Pre requisites & Stages; Sign Language & Signing System- distinguishing features
• Methods and techniques of language development in DHH students, Principles of teaching language; Methods of teaching language: Natural, Structural & Combined
• Techniques of teaching language: News conversation, directed activity, Visits, Storytelling; Dramatization, play and activities for language development
• Poems and rhymes for developing language and supra-segmental
• Methods of teaching frameworks: Source, Discovery, Project, Problem Solving, Play way, Field Study, Observation, Pendulum, Correlation, and Discussion. Maxims tracking: Simple to complex, Whole to part, Empirical to rational, Concrete to abstract, Known to Unknown, Particular to General. Unit planning configuration & evaluation paths. Literacy configurations for DHH children.
• Speech Production & Parameters: Mechanism of speech production structures (Respiratory, Phonatory, Articulatory, Resonator, and Regulatory systems). Sound parameter breakdowns: Intensity, pitch, quality, consonants, vowels, diphthongs, and blends. Speech profiling for articulation errors or intelligibility evaluation. Visual aids, mirror training systems, vibro-tactile aids, and Ling’s approach parameters execution.Curricular/Co-curricular adjustments tracking sense training or UDL execution rules. Classroom amplification setups configuration.

For students with Visual Impairment (VI):

• Methods tracking: Source, Discovery, Project, Problem Solving, Play-way, Field Study, Observation, Pendulum, Correlation, and Discussion. Unit Planning and Lesson Plan configuration with use of Adapted TLM. Subject customization tracks for blindness or low vision. Core evaluation criteria execution. Peer group cohesion strategies, UDL implementations, Braille code configurations, orientation/mobility training patterns.

For Cross Disabilities (SLD, ASD, CP, MD):

• Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD): Multisensory teaching metrics (Orton – Gillingham method, Fernald method), spelling error analysis, handwriting adaptations trackers, math computational logic interventions, and co-teaching strategies.
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Structured Visual Support systems setup (TEACCH, Structured Teaching); Behavioural systems deployment (ABA, VBA, CBT tracks); Social stories and comic strip programming tools; Early childhood program models integration (LEAP, ESDM, JASPER, Floortime grids).
• Cerebral Palsy (CP): Reinforcement principles tracking JASPER, LEAP, or ESDM. Physical layout management tracking wheelchair or AAC equipment space accommodations, level of arousal scheduling parameters, functional numeracy/literacy adaptations, and alternative programming structures.
• Multiple Disabilities (MD): Curriculum material adaptation tracking structured teaching options, alternative communicative devices, prosthetic school/home environment engineering, seating posture configurations, and multi-media teaching integrations under UDL layouts.