PRAYAGRAJ, March 26 -- For the first time, candidates from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) will be eligible for reservation benefits in the Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (UP-TET) scheduled for 2026. Officials confirmed that the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (UPSESC) issued guidelines on March 20 detailing the new provisions. Under the new guidelines, unreserved candidates must secure a minimum of 60% marks (90 out of 150) to qualify for the eligibility certificate. Candidates from reserved categories-including Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), EWS, dependents of freedom fighters, ex-servicemen, and persons with disabilities-will require 55% marks (82 out of 150) to qualify. The detailed marks of UP-TET candidates will be released on the Commission's official website: https://www. upessc. up.gov.in. In the previous UP-TET, held in 2021, EWS candidates were not entitled to reservation, despite the central and state governments having introduced the EWS quota in January and February 2019, respectively. Confirming the development, UPSESC PRO Sanjay Kumar Singh said, "EWS candidates have been granted a 5% relaxation in qualifying marks, similar to other reserved categories, with approval from the state government for this edition of UP-TET." The National Council for Teacher Education's (NCTE) 2011 TET guidelines permit school managements (government, local bodies, aided, and private) to provide relaxations for reserved category candidates, such as SC/ST, OBC and persons with disabilities, in line with their existing reservation policies. Experts view the UPSESC's move as a significant relief for EWS aspirants, as it aligns UP-TET eligibility criteria with existing reservation policies. This relaxation in qualifying marks is considered a positive step toward constitutional justice and social inclusion. After a four-year gap, the teacher eligibility examination is scheduled to be conducted in the state from July 2 to 4, 2026. The application process will begin on March 27. UP-TET 2026, which is a qualifying examination for the appointment of assistant teachers in Class 1 to 8 government-run schools, is expected to attract over 20 lakh applicants. In the previous UP-TET, held on January 21, 2022, a total of 21,65,181 registrations were recorded (12,91,628 for the Primary level and 8,73,553 for the Upper Primary level)....