The Uttar Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (UPBSE) is preparing to initiate the High School and Intermediate Board examinations on February 18, 2026. The exams will run until March 12, 2026, involving a total of 53,37,778 candidates. This number comprises 27,61,696 students enrolled in high school and 25,76,082 in intermediate classes, as stated in an official announcement.
Extensive Monitoring Arrangements Implemented
A total of 8,033 examination centres have been established across the state, which includes 596 government schools, 3,453 aided-government schools, and 3,984 self-financed institutions. The release identified 18 districts as sensitive, with 222 centres classified as highly sensitive and 683 deemed sensitive. The Minister of State for Secondary Education, Gulab Devi, inaugurated the state-level control room located at the Director of Education (Secondary) office in Lucknow on the day prior to the exams. In line with the Chief Minister’s directive, this year’s examination process will be entirely rooted in technology to maintain transparency.
Enhanced Security Measures and Surveillance
During the examination period, the Special Task Force (STF) and local intelligence units will oversee the centres. Highly sensitive centres will receive inspections twice daily. Each examination room is equipped with two CCTV cameras that include voice recording capabilities, along with a router, DVR, and high-speed internet access to facilitate live monitoring through webcasting. Strong rooms at the centres will also be under continuous CCTV surveillance, supplementing online monitoring of strong rooms, question paper distribution areas, and the sealing and packaging of answer sheets across all 75 districts.
Appointment of Administrators and Establishment of Control Rooms
For effective management, various personnel have been appointed, including 8,033 centre administrators, 8,033 external administrators, 8,033 static magistrates, 1,210 sector magistrates, and 427 zonal magistrates. Furthermore, 69 divisional and 440 district-level mobile squads are operational. State-level supervisory staff have been designated for all 75 districts and 18 divisions to ensure correct execution of the examination procedures.
Support for Candidates and Parents
The control room in Lucknow has made toll-free helpline numbers available to assist both candidates and their parents. These include 18001806607 and 18001806608, alongside the Board of Secondary Education’s additional lines at 18001805310 and 18001805312. Complaints and suggestions can be submitted through email, Facebook, X handle, and WhatsApp. Additionally, control centres have been structured at key locations including the Prayagraj headquarters and various regional offices such as Varanasi, Meerut, Bareilly, and Gorakhpur.
Anti-Cheating Measures and Regulations
Special security measures have been implemented to deter cheating, including the storage of reserve question paper sets in securely locked cabinets. Answer sheets feature advanced security enhancements, such as four-colour serial numbers, the official logo of the Council, and microscopic markings, aimed at preventing tampering. This year’s administration will also introduce online monitoring for the UP Sanskrit Education Council exams for the first time.
Legal Framework Against Examination Irregularities
The Uttar Pradesh Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, is in effect to ensure rigorous action is taken against any irregularities related to the preparation, printing, distribution, and evaluation of examination materials. The Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to combat malpractice as detrimental to the future of the youth. In her remarks, she encouraged candidates to approach the exams with confidence and to view the experience as a positive opportunity.
Presence of Education Officials During Preparations
At the inauguration, several key education officials were present, including Additional Chief Secretary for Basic and Secondary Education Partha Sarathi Sen Sharma, Secretary of Secondary Education Chandra Bhushan Singh, Director General of School Education Monika Rani, Special Secretary of Secondary Education Umesh Chandra, and Director of Education (Secondary) Dr. Mahendra Dev.