Prayagraj: In a major move to prevent the swapping and misuse of answer sheets in High School and Intermediate examinations, starting Feb 18, the Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Board (UP Board) introduced several new security features this year.Board secretary Bhagwati Singh approved these changes to strengthen the integrity and transparency of the examination process. For the first time, the answer books were printed in a vertical format and designed with enhanced security markings. All pages now carry thin margins on the left side as well as at the top. Within these margins, the words “UP Board” were printed in fine English lettering. These markings are not easily visible to the naked eye and can only be read with special effort, making duplication or replacement of answer sheets extremely difficult. The initiative was introduced to maintain the sanctity of the examination process. To curb the use of old answer books by cheating syndicates, the board also changed the colour scheme of instructions and details printed on the cover pages. For High School examinations, the main answer book now has details printed in brown, while the supplementary ‘B’ copy features green details. For Intermediate examinations, the main answer book carries pink details, whereas the ‘B’ copy has sky-blue details. This colour coding will help invigilators and examiners easily identify genuine answer books. The board also standardised the number of pages. High School main answer books contain 16 pages, including the cover, while Intermediate main answer books have 32 pages, including the cover. Both High School and Intermediate ‘B’ copies consist of 12 pages each, including the cover. The total number of pages is clearly mentioned on the cover page. Additionally, barcodes were placed on the cover page and the last page of every answer book. Scanning the barcode will display whether the answer book belongs to the High School or Intermediate examination, clearly establishing its authenticity as a UP Board document. Another first-time feature is the introduction of small, clearly defined boxes for students to fill in details such as roll number, examination medium, centre code, question paper code, exam date, shift and the number of supplementary answer books attached. The board believes these measures will significantly reduce irregularities and ensure fair conduct of examinations.
