CTET 2026 Paper I — AI Predicted (Set 3)

Q1. According to Piaget, the ability to reason about abstract, hypothetical situations (like 'what if gravity didn't exist?') typically emerges in the:

1. (A) Formal operational stage
2. (B) Sensorimotor stage
3. (C) Preoperational stage
4. (D) Concrete operational stage

Explanation: The formal operational stage (roughly age 11 onward) is marked by the ability to think abstractly, reason hypothetically, and consider possibilities beyond concrete, observable reality.

Q2. A child sees a cat for the first time and calls it a 'doggie' because it has four legs and fur, fitting it into their existing schema for 'dog'. This is an example of:

1. (A) Assimilation
2. (B) Accommodation
3. (C) Equilibration only
4. (D) Reversibility

Explanation: Assimilation occurs when new information is fitted into an existing schema without changing the schema itself — here the child fits the cat into the pre-existing 'dog' category.

Q3. As a learner becomes more competent at a task, an effective teacher gradually reduces the amount of support given. This gradual withdrawal of support is called:

1. (A) Fading (of scaffolding)
2. (B) Reinforcement
3. (C) Extinction
4. (D) Punishment

Explanation: Fading refers to the gradual removal of scaffolded support as the learner becomes more independent and competent — a key part of Vygotsky-inspired scaffolding practice.