Key dates
The Union Public Service Commission released the detailed notification (Special Advertisement No. 51/2026) on July 24, 2026. Online applications open July 25, 2026 and close August 14, 2026, through the UPSC Online Recruitment Application (ORA) portal. The Combined Recruitment Test is tentatively scheduled for November 1, 2026.

Vacancy breakdown
The recruitment covers 828 posts in total in the Education Department, Government of NCT of Delhi — 124 Principal posts and 704 Vice-Principal posts, filled through direct recruitment. Of these, 7 Principal posts and 28 Vice-Principal posts are reserved for candidates with benchmark disabilities (PwBD).

Eligibility
Both posts require a Master's Degree from a recognised university and a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed). For Principal, candidates additionally need a minimum of 10 years of teaching experience as a Post Graduate Teacher (PGT) or Trained Graduate Teacher (TGT), with a Doctorate degree and administrative experience considered desirable extras. For Vice-Principal, candidates need at least 2 years of experience as a PGT or 3 years as a TGT in a recognised school.

Age limit
Age is calculated as on August 14, 2026, and differs by post: Principal candidates must be between 35 and 50 years (relaxable up to 53 for OBC and 55 for SC/ST), while Vice-Principal candidates must be between 35 and 40 years (relaxable up to 38 for OBC and 40 for SC/ST).

Application fee
The fee is ₹25 for General, OBC and EWS male candidates, payable online. Fee exemptions typically apply for SC, ST, PwBD and women candidates as per standard UPSC norms — candidates should confirm exact exemption categories in the detailed notification.

Selection process
The process runs through shortlisting based on eligibility criteria (or a Recruitment Test, if UPSC decides to conduct one), followed by a Personal Interview for shortlisted candidates, and Document Verification to confirm educational qualifications, teaching experience, category certificates and other required documents before final appointment.

How to apply
Candidates need to complete a One-Time Registration on the UPSC Online Recruitment Application portal if applying for the first time, then log in, select Advertisement No. 51/2026, and complete the application form with personal, educational and experience details before the August 14 deadline.

What applicants should do now
Given the significant experience requirements attached to both posts, eligible teachers should have their teaching experience certificates, degree documents and B.Ed certification ready before starting the application, since incomplete experience verification is likely to be one of the more common reasons for rejection in a recruitment drive of this scale.