UPTET 2026 Begins: High Court Limits Relief for NIOS DElEd Candidates to Those in Service Before 2015

The Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (UPTET) 2026 began today, July 2, amid a significant legal development concerning candidates who completed the 18-month Diploma in Elementary Education (DElEd) through Open and Distance Learning (ODL) from the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).

On Wednesday, the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC) issued a notice following a modified order by the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court. Earlier, a single-judge bench had directed the commission to allow the petitioners and similarly placed NIOS DElEd candidates to appear for the examination.

The commission challenged the order through a special appeal. During the hearing on July 1, a division bench modified the earlier interim order, limiting the relief to a specific category of candidates instead of extending it to all similarly placed aspirants.

As per the latest directions, only candidates who hold the 18-month DElEd qualification in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode and were already in service on or before March 31, 2015, will be allowed to appear provisionally in UPTET 2026. Their candidature will remain subject to the final outcome of the pending special appeal before the High Court.

Candidates holding the 18-month DElEd qualification who were not in service before March 31, 2015, have not been granted any relief. In compliance with the High Court’s July 1 order, the commission clarified that such candidates are not eligible to appear for UPTET 2026 and will not be permitted to take the examination.

The High Court has further directed that the results of candidates appearing provisionally under its order will not be declared until the special appeal is finally decided or until further directions are issued.

Meanwhile, nearly 20 lakh candidates are set to appear for UPTET 2026 across Uttar Pradesh. According to the UPESSC, a total of 19,94,661 candidates have registered for the examination, which will be conducted from July 2 to July 4 at 955 examination centres across 60 districts. The test will be held in five shifts to accommodate the large number of applicants.

UPTET is the mandatory eligibility examination for recruitment of teachers in primary (Classes 1 to 5) and upper primary (Classes 6 to 8) schools in the state.

As per the schedule, candidates appearing for the upper primary level will take the examination in both shifts on July 2 and the first shift on July 3. Those appearing for the primary level examination will write the test in the second shift on July 3 and the first shift on July 4.

Ahead of the examination, the commission said all arrangements have been completed. Commission Chairman Prashant Kumar said preparations at all examination centres have been reviewed. AI-enabled CCTV cameras have been installed in examination halls and other sensitive areas. These are connected to district control rooms as well as the commission’s integrated command and control centre. Connectivity at all centres has also been tested before the examination.

To strengthen monitoring, one retired IAS officer and one retired IPS officer have been appointed as observers in every district. They have already reviewed preparations on the ground. The commission has also said prohibitory orders will remain in force around examination centres. District magistrates, senior police officers and monitoring teams will conduct regular inspections, while adequate police deployment has been made to prevent any disruption.