The situation is not entirely clear regarding the weightage given to Shiksha Friends in the recruitment process for 11,508 Assistant Teacher posts in Uttar Pradesh. The Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission has sought information from the Basic Education Department in this regard. In fact, based on old Supreme Court orders, Shiksha Friends were allowed additional marks and age relaxation based on their teaching experience in the recruitment of previous teachers. Now the commission has asked how these provisions will be implemented in the 2026 recruitment. Clear guidelines have been sought from the department for this.

Recruitment case for 11,508 posts

On September 15, 2026, the Uttar Pradesh Education Selection Commission released an advertisement for the recruitment of 11,508 Assistant Teacher Posts in City Area Council Primary and Combined Schools. After this, Basic Education Council Secretary Surendra Kumar Tiwari briefed the commission about the benefits given to Shiksha Mitra.

It was said that based on the Supreme Court order dated 25 July 2017, Shiksha Friends were given weightage for their teaching experience in the recruitment of 68,500 and 69,000 assistant teachers. In which the benefit of 2.5 marks and a maximum of 25 marks was given for each year of experience. Apart from this, there was a provision of relaxation in age limit as well.

This matter is related to the order of the Supreme Court

The matter of giving additional opportunity to Shikshamitras also reached the Supreme Court. In the Ram Sharan Maurya case, on 18 November 2020, the Supreme Court ordered to give additional opportunity to Shiksha Mitra in the upcoming teacher recruitment. According to the information provided by the Basic Education Council, in this recruitment Shikshamitras have been given age relaxation up to 60 years. However, the Education Service Selection Commission has sought clear information from the department regarding this arrangement.

The Commission sought clear guidelines

Commission Deputy Secretary Dr. Sanjay Kumar Singh sent a letter to Additional Chief Secretary Secondary and Basic Education Parthasarathy Sen Sharma on September 24. The commission said that it has not yet received any clear government order or departmental notification, explaining the process of giving weightage to Shikshamitras in this recruitment based on the 2020 Supreme Court order. The commission has asked the department to provide clear information about the weight and age limit rules, so that the recruitment process can be taken forward.

Weightage system in major recruiting

In the same letter, the commission also mentioned another change related to the secondary education department. Provisions regarding qualifications for the posts of principals and head teachers of aided secondary schools were issued in the Government Gazette dated 12 September 2026. There is no mention of weight in this. That is, weightage has been eliminated in this recruitment system.