UPSC Principal & Vice Principal Recruitment 2026 Notification Out for 828 Vacancies; Apply Online, Eligibility, Salary, Last Date

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has been notified to have released Special Advertisement No. 51/2026, inviting online recruitment applications for 828 vacancies of Principal and Vice Principal in the Education Department, Government of NCT of Delhi. The applications are being invited through the Commission’s official portal, and eligible candidates are required to apply online from 25 July 2026. This recruitment is being conducted under the Recruitment by Selection mode of UPSC, and a Combined Recruitment Test (CRT) is being scheduled to be conducted on 01 November 2026 for shortlisting candidates for the interview stage.

This detailed guide has been prepared to cover vacancy details, category-wise reservation, PwBD reservation, pay scale, age limit, educational qualification, application fee, selection process, syllabus, weightage, important dates, and the complete step-by-step application procedure, based strictly on the official notification issued by UPSC.

UPSC Principal & Vice Principal Recruitment 2026 – Overview

It has been indicated in the notification that the closing date for submission of the online application is also being treated as the date for determining the eligibility of all candidates in every respect.

Important Dates

Candidates are advised in the notification not to wait for the closing date and to submit the online application well in advance.

Vacancy Details

Two posts have been advertised under this notification – Principal and Vice Principal – both under the Education Department, Government of NCT of Delhi.

1. Principal – 124 Vacancies (Vacancy No. 26075101725)

The category-wise breakup of the 124 vacancies for the post of Principal has been given as follows:

Out of the 124 vacancies, 7 vacancies have been reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD), of which 5 are fresh vacancies and 2 are backlog vacancies.

Pay Scale: Level-12 in the Pay Matrix as per 7th CPC

2. Vice Principal – 704 Vacancies (Vacancy No. 26075102725)

The category-wise breakup of the 704 vacancies for the post of Vice Principal has been given as follows:

Out of the 704 vacancies, 28 vacancies have been reserved for PwBD candidates, of which 27 are fresh vacancies and 1 is a backlog vacancy.

Pay Scale: Level-10 in the Pay Matrix as per 7th CPC

Important Note on OBC Reservation: It has been specified that OBC reservation will be provided only to those candidates who submit OBC certificates issued by the Government of NCT of Delhi. Candidates who submit OBC certificates issued by other States/UTs will be treated as General/Unreserved candidates against General/Unreserved vacancies.

PwBD Reservation Details

Reservation for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities has been provided against both posts, based on 40% and above disability for both suitability and reservation.

PwBD Reservation – Principal (7 posts)

PwBD Reservation – Vice Principal (28 posts)

Within the Locomotor Disability category, it has been clarified that suitability and reservation are applicable only for Both Legs Affected (BL), Both Arms Affected (BA), One Leg Affected (OL), One Arm Affected (OA), Leprosy Cured (LC), Dwarfism (DW), and Acid Attack Victims (AAV) – while conditions such as Cerebral Palsy (marked “No” for Principal but “Yes” for Vice Principal), Stiff Back and Hips, Both Legs and Arms Affected, Muscular Dystrophy, and Spinal Deformity/Injury have been marked as not suitable/not reserved for the Principal post. For the Vice Principal post, Cerebral Palsy has additionally been marked suitable and reserved. Within category (d), only Specific Learning Disability (SLD) and Mental Illness (MI) have been marked suitable and reserved, while Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability have been marked as not suitable.

Age Limit

An additional age relaxation of up to 10 years has been provided for PwBD candidates, subject to a maximum age limit of 56 years.

It has been clarified that the age limit shown is the normal age limit for EWS/UR candidates, and it already stands relaxed for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD candidates as per government norms (5 years for SC/ST, 3 years for OBC, and 10 years for PwBD in respect of vacancies reserved for them).

Educational Qualification & Experience

Principal (124 posts)

Essential Qualification:

• Master’s Degree from a recognized University/Institute
• Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) from a recognized University/Institute

Essential Experience:

• 10 years of teaching experience (as Vice Principal / Post Graduate Teacher / Trained Graduate Teacher) in a recognized High School / Higher Secondary School / Senior Secondary School / Intermediate College

Desirable Qualification:

• Doctorate Degree from a recognized University/Institute
• Administrative charge experience of a recognized High School / Higher Secondary School / Intermediate College

Vice Principal (704 posts)

Essential Qualification:

• Master’s Degree from a recognized University/Institute
• Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) from a recognized University

Essential Experience (either of the following):

• 2 years’ experience as Post Graduate Teacher, OR
• 3 years’ experience as Trained Graduate Teacher

It has been mentioned that qualifications are relaxable at the discretion of the Commission for reasons recorded in writing, in the case of candidates who are otherwise well qualified. Experience requirements are similarly relaxable for SC/ST candidates where sufficient eligible candidates possessing the requisite experience are not likely to be available.

Duties of the Post

• Principal: Responsible for administrative, academic, and financial functions of the school, functioning as planner, organizer, and coordinator of all school activities.
• Vice Principal: Assists the Principal in administrative, academic, and financial responsibilities, also functioning in a multi-purpose planning, organizing, and coordinating role.

Other Post Details

Application Fee

Fee payment has been permitted through Visa/Master/RuPay Credit or Debit Card, UPI, or Internet Banking. It has been specified that the fee once paid shall not be refunded under any circumstances, nor can it be held in reserve for any other examination.

Citizenship Eligibility

A candidate is required to be either:

• A citizen of India, or
• A subject of Nepal, or
• A subject of Bhutan, or
• A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
• A person of Indian origin migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, or certain East African countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, Vietnam) with the intention of permanently settling in India

Candidates falling under categories (b) to (e) are required to hold an eligibility certificate issued by the Government of India.

Selection Process

The selection process comprises two stages:

1. Combined Recruitment Test (CRT) – A pen-and-paper based objective test
2. Interview – Conducted for candidates shortlisted through the CRT

CRT Scheme

CRT Syllabus

The syllabus has been broadly indicated to cover the following areas:

• General Knowledge, including contemporary social, economic, and cultural issues
• Hindi and English language skills
• Reasoning ability and Quantitative Aptitude
• Educational policies, educational measurement, and evaluation
• Management and Financial administration
• Office Procedure
• Pedagogy in Education
• Digital Literacy

Final Merit Weightage

Minimum Suitability Standard for Interview

It has been clarified that where selection is made through CRT followed by interview, candidates are required to achieve the minimum suitability standard at both stages.

CRT Exam Centres

The Combined Recruitment Test is being conducted at 15 centres:

Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Chennai, Delhi, Dispur (Guwahati), Jaipur, Jammu, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Port Blair, Ranchi, and Visakhapatnam.

It has been noted that the list of centres is subject to change, and any revision will be notified through the Commission’s website prior to the conduct of the test.

How to Apply Online – Step-by-Step Process

The UPSC Online Application Portal functions through four modules, of which the first three (Account Creation, Universal Registration, and Common Application Form) are common to all UPSC recruitments and can be filled anytime, while the fourth module is post/vacancy-specific.

Step 1: Visit the official UPSC recruitment portal at upsconline.nic.in/ora/

Step 2: Create an account and complete the Universal Registration, after which a Universal Registration Number (URN) is generated

Step 3: Fill the Common Application Form (CAF), including uploading a photograph and capturing a live photograph as mandated

Step 4: Upload signature (signed three times on plain white paper in black ink, as per instructions)

Step 5: Fill the post/vacancy-specific module for Principal and/or Vice Principal

Step 6: Upload supporting documents against each claim (educational qualification, experience, category, disability, etc.) in PDF format

Step 7: Pay the applicable application fee through the available online modes

Step 8: Submit the application and take a printout of the finally submitted form

It has been clarified that candidates will not be allowed to withdraw their application after submission, and no correction, alteration, or modification of any field is permitted post-submission.

Documents Required for Upload

• Matriculation/10th standard certificate or equivalent, indicating date of birth
• Degree/Diploma certificate as proof of educational qualification (or provisional certificate with mark sheets, if final certificate is not available)
• Order/letter regarding equivalent educational qualification, if applicable
• Experience certificate(s) in the prescribed proforma from the Head of Organisation/Department
• Caste certificate (for SC/ST/OBC candidates) in the prescribed proforma
• OBC non-creamy layer declaration, along with the community certificate
• Disability Certificate in the prescribed proforma (for PwBD candidates), issued by a duly constituted Medical Board
• Name-change supporting documents, where applicable
• Age relaxation certificates, where applicable (Ex-Servicemen, Central/UT Government employees, etc.)
• Documents in support of claims regarding Professional Registration, Language, Publications, NET, GATE, Conference, or Internship, if claimed

It has been specified that documents such as Pay Slip, Resume, Appointment Letter, Relieving Letter, and unsigned Experience Certificates must not be uploaded.

Concessions & Relaxations

• Ex-Servicemen/Commissioned Officers: Age relaxation of 5 years, subject to conditions of minimum continuous service
• Central/UT Government Employees: Age relaxation up to 5 years, subject to 3 years of continuous service in an allied cadre
• PwBD Candidates: Age relaxation of 10 years, subject to the maximum age not exceeding 56 years on the closing date, admissible irrespective of whether the post is reserved for PwBD or merely identified as suitable
• Scribe Facility: Available for candidates with blindness, locomotor disability (both arms affected), and cerebral palsy; other PwBD categories may avail this facility on production of a medical certificate as prescribed in Appendix-III/V
• Compensatory Time: 20 minutes per hour of the Recruitment Test, available to eligible PwBD candidates under similar conditions

Other Key Conditions

• All correspondence from the Commission will be made only through registered e-mail, and candidates are advised to keep an active e-mail ID
• The e-Admit Card will be made available on the Commission’s website; no admit card will be sent by post or e-mail
• Aadhaar Card has been strongly recommended as the preferred ID document for verification and authentication
• Mobile phones and electronic devices are strictly banned inside the examination/interview hall
• Face authentication is mandatory for all candidates at the examination venue/interview hall
• Black ball pen only is permitted for writing and marking the OMR sheet; pencils and ink pens are not allowed
• Outstation candidates appearing for interview at UPSC are entitled to travelling allowance restricted to Second/Sleeper Class train fare (Mail/Express), reimbursed through online transfer to the candidate’s bank account

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How many total vacancies have been announced under this notification?
A total of 828 vacancies have been announced – 124 for Principal and 704 for Vice Principal.

What is the last date to apply online?
The last date to apply online is 14 August 2026, up to 1800 hours.

When is the Combined Recruitment Test (CRT) scheduled?
The CRT is scheduled to be conducted on 01 November 2026.

What is the pay scale for Principal and Vice Principal posts?
Principal carries Level-12, and Vice Principal carries Level-10 of the Pay Matrix as per 7th CPC.

Is there an application fee for female candidates?
No. Female candidates of all categories, along with SC/ST/PwBD candidates, are exempted from the application fee.

What is the weightage between CRT and Interview?
The CRT and Interview carry a weightage ratio of 75:25 for determining the final merit.

Can PwBD candidates apply for posts not reserved for them?
Yes, provided the post has been identified as suitable for their category of disability; however, they will be considered by general standard of merit in such cases.

Conclusion

The UPSC Principal and Vice Principal Recruitment 2026 under Special Advertisement No. 51/2026 represents a significant opportunity for eligible postgraduate and B.Ed. qualified candidates with relevant teaching experience to secure a Group “A” Gazetted post under the Education Department, Government of NCT of Delhi. With 828 vacancies on offer across both posts, category-wise reservation benefits, and a well-defined two-stage selection process comprising the CRT and Interview, candidates are advised to review their eligibility carefully and complete the online application process well before the 14 August 2026 deadline.