The first day of the three-day Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (UPTET) 2026 concluded peacefully on Thursday, with more than 6.84 lakh candidates appearing for the examination across 955 centres in 60 districts of the state. Authorities said the examination was conducted in a transparent and malpractice-free manner under strict security arrangements, with the help of AI-enabled surveillance systems.
The written examination is being held over three days - July 2, 3 and 4. On Thursday, the test was conducted in two shifts, with the first session held from 9:30 am to 12 noon and the second from 2:30 pm to 5 pm. Officials said elaborate arrangements had been made to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination and prevent any form of malpractice.
Exam centres monitored in real time
According to Dr Prashant Kumar, Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission, all examination centres were monitored in real time through the commission's AI-integrated Control and Command Centre.
The monitoring was carried out in the presence of the chairman, commission members, the secretary, the controller of examinations and the deputy secretary, enabling authorities to keep a close watch on activities at every examination centre.
AI-powered surveillance cameras installed at the centres continuously tracked candidates' movements and flagged suspicious activity. After verification by officials, seven impersonators were caught during the first shift and eight more during the second shift, taking the total number of fake candidates apprehended on the first day to 15.
15 impersonators nabbed
The arrested individuals were allegedly attempting to write the examination on behalf of registered candidates. They were handed over to the local police, who have initiated legal proceedings against them. Officials said the use of artificial intelligence significantly strengthened the examination's security by enabling the quick identification of suspicious candidates.
Attendance remained high on the opening day of the examination. A total of 8,07,636 candidates had registered to appear in the two shifts, of whom 6,84,614 took the test, resulting in an overall attendance of 84.76 per cent. Around 1,23,022 candidates remained absent.
Attendance figures
The attendance among female candidates stood at 84.69 per cent, while 84.86 per cent of registered male candidates appeared for the examination. The commission credited the district administration and local police for their active cooperation in ensuring the smooth and peaceful conduct of the examination across all centres.
Dr Prashant Kumar said the remaining phases of UPTET 2026 will be conducted on July 3 and July 4. Two shifts are scheduled for Friday, while the final examination on Saturday will be held in a single shift. He said the same high standards of security, transparency and AI-based monitoring would continue throughout the remaining examinations.
The commission also appealed to candidates not to pay heed to rumours or misleading information circulating on social media or other platforms. Candidates have been advised to rely only on notifications and updates issued through the commission's official website. Officials reiterated their commitment to conducting the state-level teacher eligibility examination in a fair, transparent and cheating-free environment while taking strict action against those attempting to manipulate the recruitment process.
