UPSC Principal & VP Recruitment 2026 — 828 Vacancies

UPSC is hiring 828 Principals and Vice Principals for government schools under the Education Department, GNCT of Delhi. If you have a Master's degree with B.Ed and years of teaching experience, you can apply online. The last date to apply is 14 August 2026. A written Combined Recruitment Test (CRT) will be held on 1 November 2026, followed by an interview. Pay starts from Rs. 78,800 per month for Principal and Rs. 56,100 per month for Vice Principal.

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Principal & Vice Principal Recruitment 2026 - 828 Posts

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), through Special Advertisement No. 51/2026, has invited applications for 124 Principal and 704 Vice Principal posts in the Education Department, Government of NCT of Delhi. This is one of the largest school leadership recruitment drives in Delhi in recent years. Both posts are permanent, Group 'A' Gazetted positions, and candidates need significant teaching and administrative experience to qualify. Experienced Post Graduate Teachers, Trained Graduate Teachers, and Vice Principals looking for a leadership role should apply. Delhi's Directorate of Education runs one of the largest government school networks in India, and Principals and Vice Principals play a key role in improving learning outcomes and running day-to-day school administration across these schools.

Vacancy Breakdown

35 vacancies across both posts are reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) — 7 for Principal (5 fresh + 2 backlog) and 28 for Vice Principal (27 fresh + 1 backlog).

Who Can Apply?

For Principal (Level 12 - Rs. 78,800/month):

• Qualification: Master's degree plus Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) from a recognized university/institute.
• Experience: 10 years of teaching experience as Vice Principal, Post Graduate Teacher, or Trained Graduate Teacher in a recognized High School/Higher Secondary School/Senior Secondary School/Intermediate College.
• Desirable: A Doctorate degree and experience of administrative charge in a recognized High School/Higher Secondary School/Intermediate College is an added advantage.

For Vice Principal (Level 10 - Rs. 56,100/month):

• Qualification: Master's degree plus Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) from a recognized university.
• Experience: 2 years as Post Graduate Teacher, or 3 years as Trained Graduate Teacher.

OBC reservation applies only if your OBC certificate is issued by the Government of NCT of Delhi — certificates from other States/UTs will be treated as General/Unreserved.

Age Limit

• Principal: Up to 50 years for UR/EWS, 53 years for OBC, and 55 years for SC/ST candidates, as on the closing date.
• Vice Principal: Up to 35 years for UR/EWS, 38 years for OBC, and 40 years for SC/ST candidates.
• PwBD candidates get a further relaxation of up to 10 years, subject to a maximum age of 56 years.
• Your age is calculated as on the closing date for submission of the online application, i.e. 14 August 2026.

Salary

• Principal: Level 12 in the 7th CPC Pay Matrix — starting from Rs. 78,800 per month (up to Rs. 2,09,200).
• Vice Principal: Level 10 in the 7th CPC Pay Matrix — starting from Rs. 56,100 per month (up to Rs. 1,77,500).
• You will also get DA, HRA and other allowances as per Central Government rules.

Application Fee

• General / OBC / EWS / UR (Male): Rs. 25
• Female / SC / ST / PwBD candidates: No fee
• Payment mode: online via Credit/Debit Card, UPI, or internet banking.
• Fee once paid is not refundable.

Selection Process

The selection will be done in the following stages:

1. Combined Recruitment Test (CRT): A pen-and-paper objective test of 300 marks in 2 hours, covering General Knowledge, Hindi & English language skills, Reasoning & Quantitative Aptitude, Educational Policies, Management, Office Procedure, Pedagogy, and Digital Literacy. There is a penalty of one-third mark for each wrong answer.
2. Interview: Candidates shortlisted through the CRT appear for a personal interview.

The CRT and Interview marks are combined in a 75:25 ratio for the final merit list. The CRT is scheduled for 1 November 2026 and will be conducted at test centres in Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Chennai, Delhi, Dispur (Guwahati), Jaipur, Jammu, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Port Blair, Ranchi, and Visakhapatnam.

How to Apply

1. Go to the UPSC portal at upsconline.nic.in/ora.
2. Register and create your Universal Registration Number (URN).
3. Fill in the Common Application Form (CAF) and the post-specific module.
4. Upload your photo, signature, and supporting documents.
5. Pay the application fee online (if applicable).
6. Submit the form and keep a printout for the CRT/interview.
7. Download your e-Admit Card from the UPSC website closer to the exam date — no admit card will be sent by post or email.

Important Dates

• Online Application Start: 25 July 2026
• Last Date to Apply Online: 14 August 2026 (1800 Hrs)
• Combined Recruitment Test (CRT): 1 November 2026

• Lead the school's administrative, academic, and financial operations as Principal, or assist the Principal as Vice Principal
• Plan and organize school activities, timetables, and events
• Coordinate teaching staff, monitor classroom performance, and ensure curriculum delivery
• Manage school finances, budgets, and infrastructure needs
• Ensure compliance with Directorate of Education guidelines and government policies
• Handle staff welfare, discipline, and performance evaluation
• Liaise with parents, School Management Committees, and government officials