UPESSC Headmaster Recruitment 2026 – 1172 Posts, Apply Before 22.11.2026

All 1,172 Headmaster posts in this recruitment are unreserved, so no category quota applies to any seat. The UP Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC) is filling them in government-aided high schools across Uttar Pradesh. These schools are run by private managements, but the state pays the staff. You can apply online from 23.10.2026 to 22.11.2026, and the written exam is on 07.01.2027.

Recruitment Overview

Important Dates

Application Fee

Pay by credit card, debit card or net banking on the application portal. Your payment counts only after the bank confirms it. The fee is not refunded in any case, and it cannot be moved to another application.

Vacancy Details

Table-2 of the detailed advertisement lists every school, with one post each. The number of posts can go up or down before the selection is finished. Here is the count for each mandal (an administrative division of the state, made up of several districts):

District-wise vacancies

The same 1,172 posts, split by district, so you can see where the schools are:

Eligibility Criteria

In short, the experience rule stops most people, and the minimum age is 30. A fresh Master’s and B.Ed graduate cannot apply yet.

Who Should Apply

• UPESSC released the Principal posts for aided inter colleges (Advertisement No. 08/2026) the same day. That is a separate recruitment with a higher pay level, so read the UPESSC Principal post too if you have the experience for both.
• Half of these posts are older requests. 586 of the 1,172 come from 2019–20 and 2021–22 and are included under a High Court order, while the other 586 are 2026 requests. The notification says the number of posts can go up or down.
• The written exam carries 360 of the 400 marks and the interview only 40, so the exam does most of the work.
• You choose only boys’ or girls’ schools in the form, not a particular school. The notification says the Director of Secondary Education, Prayagraj, takes school preferences and allots the school afterwards.
• If you cannot show 4 full years of teaching or headmaster experience on a proper certificate, this post is not for you yet. If you are working now, get the no objection certificate from your employer ready for the interview.

Selection Process

In short, the written exam comes first and only shortlisted candidates reach the interview. Your final rank is out of 400 and uses both.

Salary and Benefits

The Pay Matrix is the government’s pay grade chart. You start at Rs. 56,100 a month at Level 10, and the pay can rise to Rs. 1,77,500. The notification does not name any allowances, so your in-hand pay cannot be worked out from it.

How to Apply

1. Open apply.upessc.org and create your One Time Registration (OTR) if you have not done so. OTR is a one-time profile on the Commission’s portal, and you cannot apply without it. The Commission’s website has a user manual and tutorial videos in Hindi and English.
2. Sign in, pick Advertisement No. 09/2026 for Headmaster, and choose either boys’ or girls’ schools.
3. Fill in the form in English only. Upload your photo, signature and certificates in the sizes given in the table below.
4. Pay the Rs. 1,500 fee by card or net banking. Your payment counts only after the bank confirms it, so keep the receipt.
5. Submit the form and save three printouts. Two of them go to the interview with your documents. Use the correction window, which ends on 25.11.2026, to fix mistakes. Category, sub-category, gender and date of birth cannot be changed once you submit.

Note: Applications by any other route are not accepted. If you submit more than one form for this post, only the last one counts and the rest are cancelled.

Documents Required

You carry the paper documents to the interview, not to the written exam. Keep two separate sets of self-attested copies ready, along with the originals.

Helpline Numbers

Important Links

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Do not leave the fee for the last day. Your payment counts only after the bank confirms it, and without that your application is not valid.
• Check your date of birth before you submit. Only the date on your High School certificate is accepted, and it cannot be changed after you submit.
• Upload a clear photo and a real signature in the sizes given. The Commission rejects the application if they are missing.
• Fill in the form in English only, and submit it once. If you submit more than one form, only the last one counts.
• Do not apply for girls’ schools if you are a man, and do not mix up the boys’ and girls’ options if you are a woman.
• Do not apply without 4 years of experience on a proper certificate. A person found to have hidden or wrongly filled in any detail can be removed from the selection and kept out of future Commission exams.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the last date to apply for UPESSC Headmaster Recruitment 2026?

You can apply online and pay the fee until 22.11.2026.

How many Headmaster posts are there?

There are 1,172 posts: 1,037 in boys’ schools and 135 in girls’ schools, and all of them are unreserved.

What qualification do I need to become a Headmaster in an aided high school?

You need a Master’s degree with 50% marks, a B.Ed or B.P.Ed, and 4 years as a lecturer or assistant teacher in classes 9 to 12, or as a junior high school headmaster.

What is the age limit?

You must be at least 30 and not more than 62 years old on 01.07.2026.

How much is the application fee?

The fee is Rs. 1,500 for every category, including SC, ST and disabled candidates, and it is not refunded.

What is the exam pattern and the exam date?

The written exam is on 07.01.2027 and has 120 multiple-choice questions for 360 marks in 2 hours, with 3 marks for a right answer and 1 mark cut for a wrong one. An interview for 40 marks follows.

What is the salary of a Headmaster?

The pay starts at Rs. 56,100 a month, in Level 10 of the Pay Matrix, and goes up to Rs. 1,77,500.

Can a man apply for a girls’ school?

No, a man can apply only for boys’ schools, while a woman can apply for both after choosing one in the form.

Disclaimer: The information above has been compiled from the official notification for the convenience of job seekers. Candidates are advised to verify all details from the official website before applying.