The UPTET (Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test) 2026 was conducted on 2, 3, and 4 July 2026 by the UP Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC) across 955 centres in 60 districts. Candidates must score at or above the minimum qualifying marks to be declared Pass and become eligible for UP teacher recruitment exams like Super TET. Here’s a complete, easy-reference breakdown.
UPTET 2026 Qualifying Marks (Category-Wise)
| Category | Qualifying Marks (out of 150) | Percentage Required |
|---|---|---|
| General / Unreserved | 90 | 60% |
| OBC | 82 | 55% |
| SC | 82 | 55% |
| ST | 82 | 55% |
| EWS | 82 | 55% |
| PwD (Differently Abled) | 82 | 55% |
| Ex-Servicemen | 82 | 55% |
Paper-Wise Qualifying Marks Breakdown
| Paper | Applicable For | Total Marks | General Pass Marks | Reserved Category Pass Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Class 1–5 (Primary) teaching eligibility | 150 | 90 (60%) | 82 (55%) |
| Paper 2 | Class 6–8 (Upper Primary) teaching eligibility | 150 | 90 (60%) | 82 (55%) |
Note: Candidates who apply for both papers must clear each one independently qualifying Paper 1 does not automatically qualify Paper 2, and vice versa.
Qualifying Marks vs Cut-Off: What’s the Difference?
A lot of candidates confuse these two terms, so here’s the distinction:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Qualifying Marks | The fixed minimum score (60%/55%) set by UPESSC that never changes clearing it makes you “Pass” |
| Cut-Off | Not applicable to UPTET in the same way as recruitment exams, since UPTET has no merit list or vacancy-based ranking |
Unlike Super TET or other recruitment exams, UPTET does not have a fluctuating, vacancy-dependent cut-off the qualifying marks are fixed by category and remain the same regardless of how many candidates appear or how difficult the paper is.
How Qualifying Marks Are Decided
- Fixed as 60% for General/Unreserved and 55% for all reserved categories (OBC, SC, ST, EWS, PwD, Ex-Servicemen), as per UPESSC/NCTE norms.
- These percentages have remained consistent across UPTET cycles historically and are not revised based on difficulty level or number of candidates.
- There is no normalization or scaling applied your raw score out of 150 (as per the Final Answer Key) is what’s compared against the qualifying marks.
Why Qualifying Marks Matter Beyond Just “Passing”
- Eligibility gateway: Clearing UPTET is a mandatory prerequisite to apply for Super TET and other UP teacher recruitment drives even a single mark below the qualifying threshold means disqualification, regardless of how close you were.
- Lifetime validity: Once you clear UPTET, your certificate remains valid for a lifetime, so this qualifying score matters only once per certificate, not every recruitment cycle.
- No rounding off: Scores are not rounded up if the qualifying mark is 90, a score of 89 does not qualify.
- Same threshold, both papers: The percentage requirement is identical for Paper 1 and Paper 2, so switching between primary and upper-primary preference doesn’t change your target score.
Quick Facts Table
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Total Questions/Marks | 150 |
| Negative Marking | None |
| Exam Mode | Offline (OMR-based) |
| Exam Dates | 2, 3 & 4 July 2026 |
| Result Basis | Final Answer Key (post objection window) |
| Certificate Validity | Lifetime |
| Next Step After Qualifying | Apply for recruitment exams like Super TET (UPTET qualification is mandatory but does not add to Super TET’s own merit score) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the UPTET 2026 qualifying mark for General category?
90 out of 150 marks (60%).
Q2. What is the qualifying mark for OBC/SC/ST/EWS/PwD candidates?
82 out of 150 marks (55%) for all these categories.
Q3. Does the qualifying mark change every year based on difficulty?
No, it is a fixed percentage (60%/55%) as per UPESSC norms and does not vary with exam difficulty or number of candidates.
Q4. Is there a separate cut-off apart from qualifying marks?
No, UPTET has no vacancy-based cut-off or merit list only a fixed qualifying mark by category.
Q5. If I clear one paper, do I automatically clear the other?
No, Paper 1 and Paper 2 must each be qualified independently.
