PRAYAGRAJ, April 10 -- A 13-year gap in fresh recruitment for principals in 4,512 government-aided secondary schools across Uttar Pradesh has left more than half of sanctioned posts vacant in these institutions. According to the latest vacancy data received by the Prayagraj-based UP Directorate of Education from all 75 districts, there are currently 1,502 vacant principal posts in intermediate colleges and 1,003 vacant headmaster posts in high schools-amounting to a total of 2,505 vacancies, or 55.51%. The Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC) will now undertake recruitment for these posts. "Information about the vacancies will soon be sent online by the secondary education department," said a senior state education department official aware of the development. The official conceded that the prolonged absence of regular principals has not only impacted students' education but has also made it difficult for officials to maintain discipline and enforce norms in schools. Earlier, in December 2013, the now-dissolved Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Service Selection Board issued a notification to fill 632 principal and headmaster posts, with applications accepted until February 2014. After a prolonged legal battle, the board declared results for 581 of the 632 posts between November 11 and 13, 2022. However, during the joining process, the Lucknow Bench of the High Court cancelled the recruitment in February 2023, citing the nine-year delay in completing the selection process. While more than 150 principals who had already joined before the court's order were retained, over 400 posts remained vacant. In 553 primary schools attached to government-aided secondary schools across the state, 39% of teaching posts are also vacant. Of the 4,838 sanctioned assistant teacher posts, 1,889 remain unfilled, with no recruitment conducted in these schools for a long time. Additionally, in secondary schools, 16,114 assistant teacher posts and 2,705 lecturer posts are currently vacant, according to the latest data....