UPTET 2026 CDP Syllabus: Topic-wise Paper 1 & 2 Guide

Child Development and Pedagogy (CDP) is the most important section in the UPTET exam — compulsory in both Paper 1 (Primary Level, Classes 1–5) and Paper 2 (Upper Primary Level, Classes 6–8), carrying 30 marks in each paper, and the section where most serious candidates either build a dominant score advantage or lose marks through conceptual confusion.

Unlike subject-specific sections where you either know the answer or don’t, CDP is a thinking subject — it tests whether you understand how children develop, how they learn, what motivates them, and how a teacher should respond to learning difficulties in a real classroom.

Rote memorisation of theorist names is not enough. Understanding the core concept behind each theory — and applying it to practical classroom scenarios — is what separates high-scorers from average performers.

This guide gives you the complete UPTET 2026 CDP syllabus for both Paper 1 and Paper 2, topic-by-topic with sub-topics, theorist summaries, previous year question patterns, and a preparation strategy.

Table of Contents

UPTET 2026 – Exam Overview

Parameter	Details
Conducting Body	Uttar Pradesh Basic Education Board (UPBEB)
Official Website	updeled.gov.in
UPTET 2026 Exam (Expected)	July 2026
Papers	Paper 1 (Classes 1–5) + Paper 2 (Classes 6–8)
CDP in Paper 1	30 questions, 30 marks
CDP in Paper 2	30 questions, 30 marks
Total Marks per Paper	150 marks (5 sections × 30 marks)
Duration	150 minutes per paper
Negative Marking	None
Medium	Hindi and English (bilingual)

CDP Weightage in the Full UPTET Paper

Section	Questions	Marks	Compulsory?
Child Development & Pedagogy (CDP)	30	30	✅ Yes — both papers
Language 1 (Hindi)	30	30	✅ Yes
Language 2 (English/Urdu/Sanskrit)	30	30	✅ Yes
Mathematics	30	30	Paper 1 / Optional Paper 2
Environmental Studies / Subject-specific	30	30	As applicable
Total	150	150

CDP contributes 20% of total marks in each paper — but its conceptual framework also underpins the pedagogy sub-section in every subject section, making CDP understanding a multiplier across the whole paper.

CDP Syllabus – Three-Part Official Structure

The UPTET CDP syllabus is officially divided into three broad parts:

Part	Name	Core Focus
Part A	Child Development	How children grow — physically, mentally, emotionally, linguistically
Part B	Learning and Principles of Learning	How learning happens — theories, laws, conditioning models
Part C	Learning and Teaching	How teachers should teach — pedagogy, inclusion, motivation, assessment

This three-part structure applies to both Paper 1 and Paper 2. Questions grow more application-oriented and scenario-driven from Paper 1 to Paper 2.

Part A: Child Development – Complete Topic Breakdown

1. Meaning, Need, and Scope of Child Development

Child development vs. child psychology: Child development is broader — it studies all systematic changes from conception to adolescence across physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and language dimensions. Child psychology focuses specifically on mental and behavioural aspects.
Growth vs. Development: Growth is quantitative (height, weight). Development is qualitative (maturity, capability). Growth is limited and stops; development is lifelong and continuous.
Need: Understanding development helps teachers match teaching strategies to the child’s current developmental stage — a concept directly linked to Piaget’s stage theory.

2. Stages of Child Development

Stage	Age Range	Key Characteristics
Prenatal	Conception to birth	Germinal, embryonic, foetal phases
Infancy	Birth to 2 years	Rapid physical growth, sensorimotor learning
Early Childhood	2–6 years	Language development, symbolic thinking, play
Middle Childhood	6–12 years	Concrete reasoning, social skills, formal school
Adolescence	12–18 years	Abstract thinking, identity formation

Paper 1 focus: Middle Childhood (6–12 years). Paper 2 focus: Late Middle Childhood into Early Adolescence (11–14 years).

3. Physical Development

Cephalocaudal principle: Development proceeds from head downward — head control develops before leg control.
Proximodistal principle: Development proceeds from centre outward — trunk control before finger control.
Motor development: Gross motor skills (crawling, walking, running) develop before fine motor skills (writing, drawing).
Puberty and adolescent physical changes are specifically relevant for Paper 2 (upper primary teachers must understand adolescent development).

4. Cognitive (Mental) Development – Piaget

Jean Piaget is the single most important theorist in UPTET CDP — questions from Piaget’s theory appear in almost every UPTET exam across all CDP sub-sections.

Piaget’s Four Stages of Cognitive Development:

Stage	Age	Key Characteristics
Sensorimotor	Birth–2 years	Learning through senses and movement; object permanence develops at ~8 months
Pre-operational	2–7 years	Symbolic thinking, egocentrism, animism, centration; cannot conserve
Concrete Operational	7–11 years	Logical thinking about concrete objects; conservation, reversibility, classification develop
Formal Operational	11+ years	Abstract and hypothetical thinking; deductive reasoning

Key Piagetian concepts tested in UPTET:

Schema: Mental framework or blueprint for understanding the world.
Assimilation: Fitting new information into an existing schema without changing the schema.
Accommodation: Modifying an existing schema to incorporate new information that does not fit.
Equilibration: The ongoing balance between assimilation and accommodation — the driving force of cognitive development.
Conservation: Understanding that quantity does not change despite changes in appearance — develops at the Concrete Operational stage (around age 7). Classic example: same amount of water looks different in a tall thin glass vs. a short wide glass.
Egocentrism: Child’s inability at the pre-operational stage to see the world from another person’s perspective. Classic example: three-mountain task.
Object Permanence: Understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of sight — develops at approximately 8 months in the sensorimotor stage.

5. Emotional Development – Erikson

Erik Erikson’s Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development is the primary emotional development theory tested in UPTET:

Stage	Age	Crisis	Positive Resolution
Trust vs. Mistrust	0–1 year	Can I trust the world?	Hope and security
Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt	1–3 years	Can I act independently?	Will and self-control
Initiative vs. Guilt	3–6 years	Can I take initiative?	Purpose and direction
Industry vs. Inferiority	6–12 years	Am I competent?	Confidence — most tested for Paper 1
Identity vs. Role Confusion	12–18 years	Who am I?	Clear identity — most tested for Paper 2

The Industry vs. Inferiority stage (6–12 years) is specifically relevant for Paper 1 — a child in this stage needs teachers to provide achievable challenges and recognition of competence to avoid developing feelings of inferiority.

6. Language Development

Stages: Cooing (0–6 months) → Babbling (6–12 months) → First words (12–18 months) → Two-word phrases (18–24 months) → Telegraphic speech → Complex sentences (3–5 years).
Chomsky’s Language Acquisition Device (LAD): Children are born with an innate biological mechanism for language acquisition — explains why all children, regardless of culture, acquire language in the same sequence.
Vygotsky’s view: Language and thought are interrelated and co-develop through social interaction — language is the tool of thought. Inner speech (talking to oneself) is a bridge between social speech and thought.
Bilingualism and multilingual classrooms — Indian classroom reality.

Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development is one of the highest-frequency topics in UPTET CDP:

Level	Stage	Age (Approx.)	Moral Reasoning Basis
Pre-conventional	Stage 1: Punishment/Obedience	Below 9 years	Avoid punishment
Pre-conventional	Stage 2: Self-interest/Reward	Below 9 years	Gain reward
Conventional	Stage 3: Good boy/Good girl	9–15 years	Seek social approval
Conventional	Stage 4: Law and Order	9–15 years	Follow rules and authority
Post-conventional	Stage 5: Social Contract	Adult	Uphold social agreement
Post-conventional	Stage 6: Universal Principles	Adult	Follow universal ethics

8. Personality Development

Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory: Personality has three structures — Id (instinctual drives, pleasure principle), Ego (reality principle, mediates between Id and reality), Superego (moral conscience, internalised parental and social standards).
Carl Jung: Introvert (energy directed inward) vs. Extrovert (energy directed outward) personality types.
Allport’s Trait Theory: Personality as a set of stable, enduring traits.
Factors affecting personality: Heredity, family environment, peer group, school, culture, media.

9. Creativity

Characteristics of creative children: Divergent thinking (generating multiple solutions), curiosity, flexibility, originality, risk-taking.
Guilford’s model: Divergent production is the core cognitive process underlying creativity — contrasted with convergent thinking (one correct answer).
Teacher’s role: Open-ended questions, project-based learning, tolerance for unusual ideas, avoiding excessive evaluation pressure.
Creativity and IQ are not the same — a child can be highly creative without a high measured intelligence score.

10. Factors Affecting Child Development

Factor	Key Points
Heredity	Sets genetic potential and upper ceiling for certain abilities
Family	Parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, permissive), sibling influence, family structure
Peer Group	Socialisation, identity formation, especially in adolescence
School	Teacher quality, school climate, curriculum design
Media	Television, internet, social media — positive and negative influences
Nutrition	Malnutrition affects both physical growth and cognitive development

Part B: Learning and Principles of Learning

1. Meaning and Nature of Learning

Definition: Learning is a relatively permanent change in behaviour resulting from experience or practice — not caused by maturation, fatigue, or temporary states.
Characteristics: Purposeful, active, experience-based, product of interaction with environment.
Factors affecting learning: Motivation, attention, maturity, prior knowledge, health, practice, reinforcement, and feedback.

2. Learning Theories – Highest Frequency Topic in CDP

Learning theories consistently generate 8–10 questions out of 30 in the CDP section — the single highest-priority topic cluster.

Thorndike’s Connectionism (Trial and Error)

Principle: Learning occurs through repeated trial and error — incorrect responses are gradually eliminated as correct responses are reinforced.
Three Primary Laws:
1. Law of Readiness: Learning is more effective when the organism is ready and motivated.
2. Law of Exercise: Connections strengthen with use and weaken with disuse.
3. Law of Effect: Responses followed by satisfaction are strengthened; responses followed by discomfort are weakened.
Classroom application: Practice and immediate positive feedback reinforce correct responses.

Pavlov’s Classical Conditioning

Principle: A neutral stimulus, when repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus, eventually produces the conditioned response on its own.
Classic experiment: Bell (neutral) + Food (unconditioned) → Salivation. Eventually: Bell alone → Salivation.
Key terms: UCS (Unconditioned Stimulus), CS (Conditioned Stimulus), UCR (Unconditioned Response), CR (Conditioned Response); Extinction (CS alone stops producing CR), Generalisation (CR produced to similar stimuli), Discrimination (CR only to the specific CS).
Classroom application: Positive classroom atmosphere paired with learning success → positive attitude toward learning.

Skinner’s Operant Conditioning

Principle: Behaviour is shaped by its consequences — reinforcement increases the likelihood of behaviour repeating; punishment decreases it.
Types of Reinforcement:
- Positive: Adding a reward (praise, marks, stars).
- Negative: Removing an unpleasant stimulus (removing homework burden when task is done well).
Schedules of reinforcement: Variable ratio produces the most persistent behaviour (e.g., unpredictable praise).
Classroom application: Reward systems, token economies, immediate specific feedback on assignments, behaviour modification programmes.

Kohler’s Insight Learning

Principle: Learning occurs through sudden understanding of the whole problem structure — an “Aha!” moment, not gradual trial and error.
Classic experiment: Sultan the chimpanzee suddenly used two short sticks to create one long stick to reach bananas — demonstrating complete, sudden insight.
Characteristics of insight: Sudden, complete, retained, transferable to similar problems.
Classroom application: Problem-solving activities, open-ended challenges, discovery learning.

Vygotsky’s Socio-Cultural Theory

Principle: Higher cognitive functions develop primarily through social interaction, guided by cultural tools — especially language.
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD): The gap between what a child can accomplish independently and what they can accomplish with guidance from a teacher or more capable peer.
Scaffolding: Temporary, adjustable support provided within the ZPD — gradually reduced as the child gains competence and independence.
More Knowledgeable Other (MKO): The teacher, parent, or peer who provides guidance within the ZPD.
Classroom application: Cooperative learning, peer tutoring, guided discovery, group problem-solving.

Quick Comparison Table

Theory	Theorist	Core Principle	Key Terms
Trial and Error	Thorndike	Practice + reinforcement	Laws of readiness, exercise, effect
Classical Conditioning	Pavlov	Stimulus-response association	CS, UCS, CR, extinction
Operant Conditioning	Skinner	Consequences shape behaviour	Reinforcement, punishment, schedules
Insight Learning	Kohler	Sudden understanding	Gestalt, “Aha!” moment
Socio-Cultural	Vygotsky	Social interaction drives cognition	ZPD, scaffolding, MKO
Cognitive Stages	Piaget	Active knowledge construction	Schema, assimilation, accommodation

3. Plateau of Learning

A plateau is a period of no visible progress in learning despite continued practice.
Causes: Fatigue, loss of motivation, wrong method, physical illness, reaching a natural limits boundary before the next breakthrough.
Teacher’s role: Identify the specific cause, provide motivation, change teaching methodology, allow rest and recovery.
Plateaus are temporary — with correct intervention, progress resumes and often accelerates.

Part C: Learning and Teaching

1. How Children Think and Learn

Children are active constructors of knowledge — not passive receivers of information delivered by teachers (Piaget’s constructivist view).
New information is most effectively learned when it connects to existing knowledge structures (schemas).
Children’s errors are not random — they reveal underlying misconceptions and are valuable diagnostic tools.
Learning styles: Visual, Auditory, Kinaesthetic (VAK model) — teachers should use multi-modal teaching to reach all learner types.

2. Motivation and Learning

Intrinsic motivation: Driven by internal interest, curiosity, and personal satisfaction — more durable and produces deeper learning.
Extrinsic motivation: Driven by external rewards (marks, prizes, praise) — effective short-term but can undermine intrinsic motivation if overused.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Physiological → Safety → Love/Belonging → Esteem → Self-actualisation. A child cannot concentrate on learning if basic physiological or safety needs are unmet — foundational principle for understanding school dropout and disengagement.
Teacher’s role: Safe and encouraging classroom climate, connecting learning to students’ interests, setting achievable but challenging goals.

3. Inclusive Education

One of the highest-frequency topics for Paper 2 CDP questions:

Definition: All children — regardless of disability, language, religion, gender, or socioeconomic background — learn together in the same regular classroom.
Right to Education Act 2009 (RTE): Free and compulsory education as a Fundamental Right for all children aged 6–14. Mandates inclusive education for children with disabilities in neighbourhood schools.
Types of learners requiring support:
- Children with physical disabilities — visual impairment, hearing impairment, locomotor disability.
- Children with intellectual disability.
- Slow learners — take longer to grasp concepts; not intellectually disabled.
- Gifted and talented children — need enrichment, not just repetition.
- Socially disadvantaged children — SC/ST/minority/girl children from marginalised backgrounds.
Teacher’s strategies: Differentiated instruction, modified assessment, flexible grouping, peer support, early identification of learning needs, use of assistive technology.

4. Learning Disabilities

Disability	What It Affects	Classroom Signs
Dyslexia	Reading and language processing	Letter reversals, difficulty decoding words, slow reading
Dysgraphia	Writing	Poor handwriting, difficulty organising written work
Dyscalculia	Mathematical reasoning	Counting difficulty, number order confusion
ADHD	Attention and impulse control	Inattention, hyperactivity, impulsive responses
ASD (Autism Spectrum)	Social communication	Difficulty with social cues, repetitive behaviours

Critical principle: Learning disabilities are not related to intelligence — a child with dyslexia may have average or above-average intelligence. The disability affects a specific processing channel only.

5. Child-Centred and Progressive Education

Child-centred education: Curriculum, teaching methods, and assessment are designed around the child’s needs, interests, and learning pace — not around the textbook or teacher.
John Dewey’s Progressive Education: Learning by doing. Education must be practical, relevant to real life, and rooted in experience. School is a social institution preparing children for democratic participation.
NEP 2020 alignment: Competency-based learning, activity-based teaching, holistic development, reduced rote memorisation — all rooted in child-centred principles.

6. Teaching Methods and Strategies

Method	Best Applied When
Lecture	Introducing new concepts to a large group
Demonstration	Teaching procedural or practical skills
Discussion	Developing critical thinking and opinion formation
Discovery/Inquiry	Encouraging independent problem-solving
Project Method	Developing integrated real-world understanding
Play-way	Primary level children (Classes 1–5) — Paper 1 focus
Cooperative Learning	Building social skills and peer learning

7. Assessment and Evaluation

Formative Assessment: Ongoing during the learning process — classroom questions, observation, short tests. Purpose: Improve learning in real time.
Summative Assessment: At the end of a learning period — terminal exams, annual tests. Purpose: Measure achievement.
Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE): Assesses both scholastic and co-scholastic areas (activities, values, attitudes) continuously throughout the year under the RTE framework.
Diagnostic Assessment: Identifies specific learning difficulties before or during teaching — used to detect gaps for remediation.
Error analysis: Understanding WHY a child made an error is more educationally valuable than counting wrong answers — reveals the underlying misconception needing correction.

Paper 1 vs Paper 2 CDP – Key Differences

Aspect	Paper 1 (Classes 1–5)	Paper 2 (Classes 6–8)
Child age focus	6–12 years (middle childhood)	11–14 years (early adolescence)
Piaget stage focus	Concrete Operational	Transition to Formal Operational
Erikson stage focus	Industry vs. Inferiority	Identity vs. Role Confusion
Learning theory depth	Basic conceptual understanding	In-depth application to teaching scenarios
Inclusive education	General inclusion principles	Specific learning disabilities and strategies
Teaching methods	Play-way, activity, storytelling	Discussion, inquiry, problem-based learning
Question difficulty	Moderate	Moderate to High
NEP 2020 relevance	Primary education provisions	Upper primary + transition stage provisions

Previous Year Question Pattern – CDP Analysis

Based on UPTET previous year papers (2019, 2021, 2023):

Topic	Average Questions	Difficulty
Learning Theories (Piaget, Vygotsky, Skinner, Thorndike, Pavlov, Kohler)	8–10	Moderate to High
Inclusive Education & Learning Disabilities	4–6	Moderate
Child Development Stages	3–4	Easy to Moderate
Motivation and Learning	2–3	Moderate
Teaching Methods and Pedagogy	2–3	Moderate
Kohlberg’s Moral Development	2–3	Moderate
Assessment and Evaluation (CCE, RTE)	2–3	Easy to Moderate
Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages	1–2	Moderate
Creativity	1–2	Easy
Language Development	1–2	Easy

Learning theories collectively generate 30–35% of all CDP questions. This is the single highest-priority cluster in the entire CDP syllabus.

3-Month CDP Preparation Plan

Month 1: Theory Foundation

Week 1: Complete Part A — all child development topics with structured notes.
Week 2: Learning theories — Thorndike, Pavlov, Skinner (create comparison charts for all three).
Week 3: Learning theories — Piaget, Vygotsky, Kohler (with classroom application examples for each).
Week 4: Erikson (8 stages table), Kohlberg (3 levels × 6 stages table), Freud (Id/Ego/Superego).

Month 2: Application and Practice

Week 5: Part C topics — inclusive education, learning disabilities, child-centred methods.
Week 6: Assessment (formative/summative/CCE), motivation, RTE Act 2009 key provisions, NEP 2020.
Week 7: 30 CDP previous year questions daily — analyse every wrong answer for the specific concept tested.
Week 8: Full CDP section mock tests — all 30 questions timed at 25 minutes.

Month 3: Revision and Consolidation

Daily: 30 CDP practice questions.
Weekly: One full UPTET paper (150 questions, 150 minutes).
Focus: Application-based scenario questions — “Which theory does THIS teacher action reflect?” type.
Final week: Revise one-page theory summaries only — Piaget stages, Vygotsky ZPD, Skinner reinforcement types, Kohlberg stages, Erikson crisis table.

Recommended Books for UPTET CDP

Book	Publisher/Author	Best For
Child Development and Pedagogy	Arihant Publications	Complete CDP — most widely used for UPTET
NCERT Psychology Textbook	NCERT (Class 11–12)	Learning theories at source level
UPTET Paper 1 & 2 Complete Guide	Disha Experts	Combined syllabus preparation
Previous Year Question Papers	Kiran/Arihant	Pattern-based practice

FAQs

Q. Is the CDP syllabus the same for UPTET Paper 1 and Paper 2?
The topic framework is identical — the same theories and concepts appear in both papers. However, Paper 2 requires deeper conceptual understanding and more application-based judgment, especially for inclusive education, learning theories, and adolescent development.

Q. Which theorist carries the most weightage in UPTET CDP?
Jean Piaget is the most tested — his four stages and key concepts (schema, assimilation, accommodation, conservation, egocentrism, object permanence) appear in virtually every UPTET exam. Vygotsky’s ZPD and scaffolding are the second most tested concepts.

Q. Is there negative marking in UPTET 2026?
No. UPTET has no negative marking in any section. A wrong answer scores zero — not a deduction. All 150 questions must be attempted in every UPTET paper.

Q. What is the qualifying score for UPTET 2026?
General/Unreserved candidates require 60% (90/150 marks). SC/ST/OBC/PwD candidates require 55% (82/150 marks). The UPTET certificate has lifetime validity — no expiry.

Q. Does UPTET CDP preparation help for CTET?
Yes — significantly. The CDP syllabus for UPTET and CTET is nearly identical. Both exams test the same theorists, the same inclusive education framework, and similar application-based pedagogy questions. Candidates preparing for UPTET CDP are simultaneously preparing for CTET Paper 1 and Paper 2 CDP.