PRAYAGRAJ, Aug. 1 -- : Recruitment to 2,647 vacant posts of principals and headmasters in government-aided secondary schools across Uttar Pradesh remains stalled as the state government is yet to finalise the eligibility criteria, even though the vacancies have already been referred to the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC). According to the Education Directorate, the vacancies include 1,475 posts of principals in intermediate colleges and 1,172 posts of headmasters in high schools. The recruitment will be the first for these posts in more than 13 years, with the previous selection conducted through interviews in 2013. Following demands from teachers' organisations, the Secondary Education Department decided that future recruitment would be based on a written examination and interview. However, before the revised selection process could be implemented, the erstwhile Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Service Selection Board was merged into the newly constituted UPESSC. After receiving the requisition from the Education Directorate, the commission sought the state government's approval for the eligibility criteria for both posts. For principals, the commission has proposed a postgraduate degree with BEd, a minimum age of 30 years, and at least four years' experience either as a lecturer in an intermediate college or as the headmaster of a high school. It has also proposed limiting eligibility to candidates drawing salaries from the Central or state government treasury or through government grants. For headmasters, the proposed criteria include a postgraduate degree with BEd or BPEd, a minimum age of 30 years, and at least four years' experience as an assistant teacher in a high school or a lecturer in an intermediate college. The proposal similarly restricts eligibility to candidates whose salaries are paid from government funds or grants. The state government had sought the Education Directorate's views on the proposed norms. According to officials, the directorate has recommended excluding lecturers from eligibility for headmaster recruitment and instead including headmasters of junior high schools. It has also suggested extending eligibility to candidates whose salaries are not paid from the Central or state government treasury or government grants. The government is yet to take a final call on the eligibility criteria, after which the recruitment process is expected to begin. UPESSC PRO Sanjay Singh said the commission had sought the state government's approval of the proposed eligibility norms for both posts and would initiate the recruitment process after receiving formal clearance....