UPESSC Principal Recruitment 2026 - Principal (Total 111 Posts)

Opening Overview

Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC), Prayagraj has released Advertisement No. 02/2026 for the recruitment of Principal in aided degree colleges and women's colleges of Uttar Pradesh. A total of 111 vacancies are available. Eligible Indian citizens can apply online through the OTR-based application system from 21/07/2026 to 20/08/2026.

Post Details Table

Important Dates

Application Fee

The examination fee can be paid through credit card, debit card or net banking using the online payment gateway. Candidates should preserve the fee receipt. The application will not be treated as complete unless the OTR, fee payment and final application submission are completed by the prescribed dates.

Age Limit

• The maximum age limit is 62 years.
• Age will be calculated as on 01/07/2026.
• The date of birth mentioned in the High School or equivalent examination certificate will be accepted as valid proof of date of birth.
• Candidates must mention their date of birth in the online application. Applications without a date of birth or from candidates exceeding the prescribed age limit will not be accepted.

Vacancy Details

The vacancies relate to aided degree colleges and women's colleges in Uttar Pradesh. The number of vacancies may be increased or decreased. The notification states that vertical and horizontal reservation information for the 111 posts is zero as provided by the Directorate of Higher Education, Uttar Pradesh, Prayagraj.

The vacancy table includes Principal posts in postgraduate and undergraduate colleges, women's colleges, law colleges and B.Ed. colleges across various districts of Uttar Pradesh. Each listed institution carries one advertised post.

Eligibility / Qualification

Candidates must satisfy all prescribed qualifications by the last date for acceptance of applications:

1. A Ph.D. degree.
2. At least 15 years of teaching or research experience as an Associate Professor or Professor, or equivalent teaching/research/administrative experience in universities, colleges or other institutions of higher education.
3. At least 10 research publications in peer-reviewed or UGC-listed journals, as applicable.
4. A minimum Research Score of 110 calculated according to the prescribed API format.
5. For Principal posts in law colleges, the eligibility requirements will be considered with reference to the standards of the Bar Council of India.
6. For Principal posts in B.Ed. colleges, the standards of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) will be taken into consideration.

Candidates are responsible for verifying their own eligibility. Appearing in the written examination or being declared successful will not create a right to final selection if the candidate does not fulfil the prescribed eligibility conditions.

Selection Process

The selection process consists of the following stages:

1. Written Examination
2. Shortlisting for Interview on the basis of written examination marks
3. Interview
4. Verification of original documents and self-attested copies
5. Final selection and college allotment according to merit and the candidate's submitted preference order

Shortlisted candidates must submit their college preference or priority order in the prescribed format at the time of interview. The preference order submitted by the candidate will be binding. College allotment will be made by the Directorate of Higher Education, Uttar Pradesh, according to merit, eligibility and applicable preference conditions.

The appointment as Principal will initially be for five years. The tenure may be extended for another five years on the basis of performance evaluation by the committee constituted by the concerned university. After completion of the tenure, the incumbent may rejoin the parent post in the grade of Professor along with the designation of Professor.

Exam Pattern

Marking Scheme

• Each correct answer carries 3 marks.
• Each incorrect answer or multiple answer carries a penalty of 1 mark.
• Written examination cut-off marks and candidate scores will be displayed on the Commission's website after completion of the selection process.

Syllabus and Written Examination Subjects

Part A: General Knowledge — 40 Questions

Each question carries 3 marks. At least 3 questions will be asked from each unit.

• Current Affairs: State, national and international events; personalities in the news; games, sports and multimedia; science, technology and environment.
• Indian Polity, History, Economy and Geography: Constitution and polity; legal and constitutional developments related to education; Indian history and national movement; Indian economy; basic Indian geography.
• Information and Communication Technology: Advantages, disadvantages and uses of ICT; basics of the internet and its applications; developments in educational technology.

Part B: Administrative Aptitude Test — 80 Questions

Each question carries 3 marks. At least 5 questions will be asked from each unit.

• Indian Culture and Ethics: Ancient Indian education; Guru-Shishya tradition; Indian art and literature; India's contribution to world heritage; promotion of ethics and values in academic institutions.
• Pre- and Post-Independence Educational Scenario: Development of universities after 1850; educational thinkers including Tilak, Gandhi, Malviya, Swami Vivekanand, Tagore, Radhakrishnan and Kalam; educational commissions after independence; National Education Policy.
• Higher Education System: Institutions of higher learning and research; formal and distance education; general and professional education; regulatory bodies including UGC, NCTE, AICTE, MCI, NAAC, BCI and RCI.
• Governance and Administration of Higher Education in Uttar Pradesh: Authorities, bodies and boards of universities and colleges; service conditions of teaching and non-teaching staff and Principals; recognition and affiliation; examination system; RTI, IQAC, prevention of ragging and students' union elections.
• Acts, Statutes and Ordinances: Uttar Pradesh State Universities Act, 1973; Uttar Pradesh Higher Education Services Commission Act and Regulations; university statutes, ordinances and regulations; UGC Act and regulations relating to appointment and service conditions of teachers.
• Financial Management: Sources of financial assistance; financial management in colleges; operation of accounts; budget and audit system; financial handbook provisions relating to educational administration.
• Rights and Duties of Principal: Responsibilities towards stakeholders; development and maintenance of facilities and assets; promoting academic and co-curricular excellence; maintenance of discipline and order.

The question difficulty level will comprise approximately 50% average, 30% difficult and 20% most difficult questions.

Research Score / API Requirements

A minimum Research Score of 110 is compulsory for eligibility. The API score may be calculated from activities such as research papers in peer-reviewed or UGC-listed journals, books and chapters, translations, innovative teaching and curriculum development through ICT, MOOCs and e-content, research guidance, completed or ongoing research projects, consultancy, patents, policy documents, awards, fellowships, invited lectures, seminars and conference presentations.

The API assessment must be supported by documentary evidence, such as copies of publications, project sanction and completion certificates, patent acknowledgement or grant documents and Ph.D. award-related records. Research points must be obtained from at least three of the prescribed six categories. Where a publication has multiple authors, the score will be distributed according to the prescribed authorship rules.

Important Examination Instructions

• The examination date, time, centre and admit card download information will be communicated through SMS, email, newspapers and the Commission website.
• Candidates must appear only at the examination centre allotted to them. Change of examination centre will not be permitted.
• Candidates must use a black ball-point pen to fill the OMR sheet.
• Blue or other coloured ball-point pens, fountain pens, gel pens, sketch pens, pencils and whitener are prohibited.
• Erasing, scratching or damaging the OMR sheet with an eraser, blade, nail or whitener will result in cancellation of the OMR sheet.
• Candidates must correctly enter their roll number, subject code, question booklet number and series on the OMR sheet.
• Eligible candidates with disabilities may use a scribe in accordance with the applicable government orders. Such candidates will receive an additional 20 minutes per hour of examination time.
• No travelling allowance or daily allowance will be paid for appearing in the written examination or interview.
• Any false declaration, concealment of information, malpractice, indiscipline or misbehaviour may lead to cancellation of candidature, debarment from future examinations and other penal action.

Interview and Document Verification

Candidates shortlisted for interview will be informed of the interview date, time and venue at least 10 days in advance through SMS, email, newspapers and the official website. Shortlisted candidates must download the interview letter from the UPESSC portal.

Candidates must bring two separate self-attested sets of the required documents along with the original records, including:

• Two self-attested copies of the submitted online application form.
• Two self-attested copies of the college preference or priority order.
• Relevant declaration from eligible women candidates who do not wish to be appointed in postgraduate or undergraduate women's colleges.
• High School marksheet and certificate.
• Intermediate marksheet and certificate.
• Graduation year-wise marksheets and degree certificate.
• B.Ed. marksheet and certificate, where applicable.
• LL.B. marksheets and certificate, where applicable.
• Postgraduate year-wise marksheets and degree certificate.
• M.Ed. marksheets and certificate, where applicable.
• LL.M. year-wise marksheets and degree certificate, where applicable.
• Ph.D. or D.Phil. degree, M.Phil. degree and D.Litt./D.Sc./LL.D. degree documents, where applicable.
• Proof of at least 15 years of teaching, research or administrative experience as Associate Professor or Professor.
• No Objection Certificate for serving candidates.
• Disability certificate for eligible candidates with disabilities.
• Affidavit in the prescribed format.
• Character certificate from the last educational institution.
• Character certificates from two respectable persons.
• Affidavit regarding pending or disposed court cases and criminal proceedings, as applicable.

Failure to bring the required documents and originals may result in the candidate being denied permission to attend the interview.

Application and OTR Instructions

• Applications will be accepted only through the OTR Based Online Application System.
• One Time Registration is compulsory before submitting the application.
• Only one online application is required for all the notified vacancies.
• The application and registration form must be filled in English. Roman script may be used while filling the API format.
• After final submission, changes to category, sub-category, date of birth, gender and other details will not be permitted.
• Photograph and signature must be uploaded in the prescribed format. The signature should be in JPG or JPEG format, between 10 KB and 200 KB, with a resolution of 140 × 110 pixels. The passport-size photograph should be between 30 KB and 300 KB, with a resolution between 300 and 600 pixels.
• Certificates and records uploaded with the application must be in PDF format and between 50 KB and 500 KB.
• Candidates should retain three printed copies of the submitted application. Two copies must be prepared in separate sets with the required documents for submission at the time of interview.
• The application fee is non-refundable and cannot be adjusted against another application.
• If more than one application is submitted, only the final submitted application will be considered and all earlier applications will be cancelled.
• Any incorrect, false or concealed information may lead to cancellation of candidature and debarment from future UPESSC examinations or selections.

Salary / Pay Scale

The post of Principal carries Academic Pay Level-14, with a pay range of ₹1,44,200 to ₹2,18,200. Other admissible allowances and service benefits will be governed by the applicable government and university rules.