Nearly 20 lakh candidates will appear for the Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (UPTET)-2026, to be held from July 2 to 4 at 955 examination centres across 60 districts of the state, the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission said on Wednesday.
The UPTET is a mandatory eligibility examination for candidates seeking appointment as teachers in primary (Classes 1 to 5) and upper primary (Classes 6 to 8) schools in Uttar Pradesh.
To accommodate the large number of candidates, the examination will be conducted in five shifts over three days. According to the commission, 19,94,661 candidates have registered for the test.
Candidates appearing for the upper primary level will take the examination in both shifts on July 2 and the first shift on July 3, while those appearing for the primary level will write the test in the second shift on July 3 and the first shift on July 4.
Commission Chairman Prashant Kumar, a former Uttar Pradesh director general of police, said preparations at all examination centres had been reviewed and all necessary arrangements put in place.
He said all examination halls and other sensitive areas have been covered with AI-enabled CCTV cameras linked to district control rooms as well as the commission's integrated command and control centre. The connectivity of all centres has also been tested.
Kumar said one retired IAS officer and one retired IPS officer have been appointed as observers for each district, and they have already reviewed the arrangements on the ground.
Prohibitory orders will remain in force around all examination centres, while district magistrates, senior police officers and monitoring teams will carry out continuous inspections.
Adequate police personnel have been deployed, and security agencies have been tasked with keeping a close watch on suspicious and anti-social elements.
"Strict action will be taken under the Uttar Pradesh Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 against any person, institution or concerned party involved in facilitating cheating or affecting the integrity and confidentiality of the examination," Kumar said.
He said candidates will not be allowed to carry mobile phones or any other electronic devices into the examination centres.
District administrations have also made arrangements to assist candidates with travel, accommodation and medical emergencies.
Urging candidates to report to their examination centres on time, Kumar advised them not to fall prey to rumours and to rely only on information available through the commission's official website and X handle.
"The government and the commission are fully committed to conducting this examination in a completely transparent, fair and integrity-driven manner," he said.