UP Teacher Recruitment (UPESSC)
The current priority on Merit Marg. UPESSC announced ~15,012 teaching posts (Sep 2026): ~12,405 primary Assistant Teacher (PRT, classes 1–5) plus TGT/PGT. Written exam in December 2026. Full pattern, UP-specific syllabus, a day-by-day plan and section-wise mocks.
Conducting body: Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC)
Verify before you act
Dates, vacancies and the exam pattern below are compiled from the latest available sources and are labelled for this cycle. Always confirm against the official notification on Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC) before relying on any figure. Last reviewed: 21 September 2026.Posts & eligibility
Assistant Teacher (PRT) — Primary
Classes 1–5
Graduation + D.El.Ed / BTC / B.El.Ed (or RCI diploma for special education).
TET: Valid UPTET or CTET Paper-I
Level 7 (7th CPC) — verify
Trained Graduate Teacher
Classes 6–10 (secondary)
Relevant Bachelor's + B.Ed. (per UPESSC TGT rules).
TET: As specified in the notification
Post Graduate Teacher
Classes 11–12 (senior secondary)
Relevant Master's + B.Ed. (per UPESSC PGT rules).
TET: Not applicable
Assistant Teacher (PRT, primary): Graduation + a teacher-training qualification (D.El.Ed / BTC / B.El.Ed / RCI diploma) AND a valid UPTET or CTET scorecard. UPTET/CTET are qualifying eligibility tests — you clear one first, then the recruitment written exam decides merit. Age 21–40 as on 1 July 2026. MAJOR CHANGE this cycle: selection is on the written exam alone — academic (Class 10/12/graduation) weightage has been removed for Assistant Teacher, and negative marking is newly introduced. Verify every point against the official notification.
Selection process
- 1One-Time Registration (OTR) + online application on apply.upessc.org
- 2Written examination (OMR-based) — decides merit for Assistant Teacher
- 3Document verification
- 4District / post allotment on merit → appointment
- 5Note: PGT additionally has a 40-mark interview (written 360 + interview 40 = 400).
Exam pattern
Assistant Teacher (PRT) — Written Exam (Primary, classes 1–5)
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Knowledge & Current Affairs (incl. UP-specific) | 25 | 75 |
| Language — Hindi, Sanskrit & English (grammar) | 30 | 90 |
| Mathematics | 16 | 48 |
| Science | 8 | 24 |
| Environmental & Social Studies | 8 | 24 |
| Teaching Skills / Pedagogy | 8 | 24 |
| Child Psychology / Development | 8 | 24 |
| Logical Reasoning | 5 | 15 |
| Information Technology (ICT) | 4 | 12 |
| Life Skills, Management & Attitude | 8 | 24 |
Marking: +3 per correct answer
Negative marking: −1 per wrong / multiple answer (newly introduced this cycle)
Reported section-wise split (from coaching portals) — the exact per-section count is NOT yet confirmed from the official PDF. Verify on upessc.up.gov.in before relying on it. Bilingual (Hindi + English).
TGT / PGT — Written Exam (Secondary)
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Subject-specific (concerned subject) | 90 | 270 |
| General Studies (incl. UP GK & current affairs) | 30 | 90 |
Marking: +3 per correct answer
Negative marking: Negative marking newly introduced; rate disputed across portals (−1 vs 1/3) — verify
Revised 2026 pattern: 90 subject + 30 General Studies. 12 TGT and 22 PGT subject syllabi are published as separate PDFs on the UPESSC portal. PGT adds a 40-mark interview.
Syllabus
UP-specific General Knowledge (the differentiator)
- Administrative setup: 75 districts, 18 divisions; capital Lucknow; 8 NCR districts; largest (Lakhimpur Kheri) & smallest (Hapur) districts
- Rivers & water: Ganga, Yamuna, Gomti, Ghaghra, Ramganga, Betwa, Ken, Sarayu; major dams & canals
- Wildlife: tiger reserves (Dudhwa, Pilibhit, Amangarh, Ranipur); bird sanctuaries (Nawabganj, Okhla, Samaspur)
- Art & culture: Kathak (Lucknow gharana), folk dances (Nautanki, Raslila, Charkula), Chikankari, Banarasi silk, Bhadohi carpets
- Fairs & festivals: Kumbh / Magh Mela (Prayagraj), Ramlila, regional melas
- Heritage & tourism: Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Mathura–Vrindavan, Vindhyachal
- Economy & industry: ODOP; Firozabad (glass), Aligarh (locks), Moradabad (brass), Kanpur (leather), Kannauj (perfume); expressways (Purvanchal, Ganga, Yamuna, Bundelkhand)
- Polity: bicameral (Vidhan Sabha 403 + Vidhan Parishad); Governor, CM, first CM G.B. Pant; Allahabad HC (seat Prayagraj, bench Lucknow); 80 Lok Sabha, 31 Rajya Sabha seats
- History: ancient sites (Kaushambi, Sravasti); 1857 revolt centres (Meerut, Kanpur, Lucknow, Jhansi); freedom-movement figures
- State symbols: bird (Sarus Crane), animal (Barasingha), tree (Ashoka), flower (Palash)
- UP government schemes & current affairs (verify each from an official/government source)
General Knowledge & Current Affairs
- Indian history: ancient (Indus, Vedic, Mauryas, Guptas), medieval (Sultanate, Mughals), modern (British rule, 1857, freedom struggle, Gandhian era)
- Indian & world geography: physical features, rivers, climate, soils, natural resources, agriculture
- Indian polity & constitution: Preamble, Fundamental Rights & Duties, DPSP, Parliament, judiciary, key amendments
- Indian economy: planning, budget, banking, GDP, five-year plans, poverty & development basics
- General science for GK: physics, chemistry, biology fundamentals; inventions & discoveries
- Static GK: national symbols, classical & folk dances, festivals, important days & organisations
- Current affairs (last 6–12 months): awards, sports, appointments, summits, books & authors
- Environment & ecology basics
Language — Hindi, Sanskrit & English
- Hindi व्याकरण: वर्ण-विचार; संज्ञा, सर्वनाम, विशेषण, क्रिया; लिंग, वचन, कारक
- Hindi: संधि, समास, उपसर्ग-प्रत्यय, तत्सम-तद्भव, पर्यायवाची-विलोम-अनेकार्थी
- Hindi: मुहावरे-लोकोक्तियाँ, अलंकार, रस, छंद, वाक्य शुद्धि, अपठित गद्यांश
- Sanskrit: शब्द रूप, धातु रूप, संधि, समास, कारक-विभक्ति, प्रत्यय, अनुवाद
- English grammar: tenses, articles, prepositions, modals, voice, narration, subject–verb agreement
- English vocabulary: synonyms, antonyms, one-word substitution, idioms & phrases, spelling
- Comprehension, error spotting, sentence rearrangement, fill in the blanks
Mathematics
- Number system, LCM/HCF, simplification, fractions & decimals, surds & indices
- Percentage, ratio & proportion, average, partnership
- Profit & loss, discount, simple & compound interest
- Time & work, pipes & cisterns, time–speed–distance, trains, boats & streams
- Algebra (linear equations, polynomials); geometry (lines, angles, triangles, circles)
- Mensuration (area, perimeter, volume); trigonometry basics
- Data interpretation (tables, bar/pie/line charts); statistics (mean, median, mode)
Science
- Physics: motion, force, gravitation, work-energy-power, light, sound, heat, electricity, magnetism
- Chemistry: matter & its states, atoms & molecules, elements–compounds–mixtures, acids-bases-salts, metals & non-metals
- Biology: cell & tissues, plant & animal kingdom, human body systems, nutrition, diseases & prevention, reproduction
- Environmental science: ecosystem, natural resources, pollution, conservation, biodiversity
- Everyday & applied science; scientific instruments, inventions & discoveries
Environmental & Social Studies
- Geography: solar system, earth's structure, latitudes-longitudes, continents & oceans, Indian & UP geography, maps
- History: major periods, the freedom struggle, national symbols
- Civics / Polity: Constitution, governance, local self-government, rights & duties
- Economics basics: needs, resources & markets
- Environment, community awareness, transport & road safety, disaster management
Teaching Skills / Pedagogy
- Meaning, nature, scope & aims of education
- Teaching methods & maxims; micro-teaching; core teaching skills
- Teaching–learning process & principles; models & approaches of teaching
- Educational technology & TLM (teaching-learning material)
- Curriculum, lesson planning, classroom management & discipline
- Assessment & evaluation: CCE, formative vs summative, competency-based assessment
- NEP 2020, NCF, RTE Act 2009; contemporary issues in education
Child Psychology / Development
- Meaning & scope of child development & educational psychology
- Principles & dimensions of development: physical, cognitive, social, emotional, moral
- Piaget, Vygotsky, Kohlberg, Erikson; heredity vs environment
- Learning: theories (behaviourism, cognitivism, constructivism), transfer of learning, motivation
- Individual differences; intelligence & its theories; personality
- Adolescence — needs & problems; guidance & counselling
- Inclusive education, children with special needs (CWSN), learning disabilities
Logical Reasoning
- Verbal: analogy, classification, series (number/alphabet), coding-decoding, blood relations, direction sense
- Ranking & ordering, syllogism, statement-conclusion, assertion & reason
- Puzzles, seating arrangement, data sufficiency
- Non-verbal: mirror & water images, paper folding & cutting, figure series, embedded figures
- Clocks & calendars, dice & cubes, Venn diagrams, mathematical reasoning
Information Technology (ICT)
- Computer fundamentals: generations, types, hardware & software, memory & storage
- Operating systems; MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); file management; shortcuts
- Internet, email, browsers, search engines, networking basics
- ICT in education: digital resources, educational apps, e-content, smart classrooms
- Cyber safety & digital citizenship; input/output devices
Life Skills, Management & Attitude
- Life skills: self-awareness, empathy, communication, critical & creative thinking, decision-making, problem-solving
- Professional ethics & values of a teacher; teacher's attitude & aptitude
- Teacher as facilitator, leader, mentor & counsellor; team-building
- Motivation; reward & punishment; classroom leadership
- Management: time & stress management; constitutional & human values
Preparation plan
Weeks 1–2 · Foundation + highest weights
Language grammar (Hindi/Sanskrit/English) and Maths basics. Start a daily 30-min UP-GK + current-affairs habit. Take one diagnostic full mock to set a baseline, and begin previous-year paper analysis.
Weeks 3–4 · Pedagogy, Child Psychology, Science, EVS
These are scoring and formula-light. Add short daily Reasoning sets. 2 sectional tests/week + 1 full mock/week. Keep the UP-GK habit going.
Weeks 5–6 · UP-GK deep dive + ICT + Life Skills + weak-area repair
Drill districts, rivers, schemes, heritage and current affairs hard — this is the differentiator. 3 full mocks; spend as long reviewing as taking each. Redo every wrong question.
Week 7 · Exam-condition mocks
Full-length mocks every 2 days under 2-hour timing with negative marking applied. Practise OMR discipline and attempt strategy (which sections to secure first). Time the last 5 years' papers.
Week 8 · Taper + consolidation
Alternate-day mocks, revise notes/error log and 6 months of current affairs. No new topics. Final 2 days: revision + one confidence mock. (This plan is a synthesised strategy, not an official prescription.)
Recommended books
- All-in-one (PRT): Examcart / Arihant UP Assistant Teacher guide (latest edition)
- Child Development & Pedagogy: Sandeep Kumar (Pearson); Arihant Experts
- General Hindi: Lucent's Samanya Hindi; Arihant Hindi Bhasha evam Shikshashastra
- UP GK: Drishti IAS UP Special / Lucent UP GK / Ghatna Chakra UP Special
- Reasoning & Quant: R.S. Aggarwal (Verbal & Non-Verbal; Quantitative Aptitude)
- Subject (TGT/PGT): Sahitya Bhawan subject-wise TGT/PGT guides
Official sources
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