Prayagraj: The Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Board (UP Board) has decided to implement a rigorous three-tier evaluation system for high school and intermediate answer sheets to ensure greater accuracy, transparency, and accountability in the 2026 board exams. In a significant move, the board has, for the first time, assigned auditing responsibilities to principals and senior teachers of govt and aided secondary schools to prevent any lapses during the evaluation process.Under the revised mechanism, answer sheets will be evaluated by examiners. In the second stage, deputy head examiners (DHEs) will randomly review a sample of 45 to 50 copies, of which at least five answer sheets will be thoroughly checked to identify any discrepancies. The third and most crucial stage involves auditors, who will re-examine 15% of the total copies already checked under each DHE to ensure consistency and quality in marking.Although provisions for auditing existed, they were often not implemented effectively at evaluation centres. In many cases, auditors were appointed at the centre level merely as a formality, and even inexperienced teachers were given the responsibility, making it difficult to detect errors in evaluation. Following complaints, the board has now taken the responsibility of appointing auditors at its own level.Under the revised setup, each DHE is now responsible for overseeing 10 examiners, and one auditor will monitor the work of two DHEs.Board secretary Bhagwati Singh has issued clear instructions that auditors must submit daily reports to the deputy controller and the district inspector of schools (DIOS). They have also been directed to ensure that no answer in any copy remains unchecked.In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the board has deployed around 6,980 auditors through a software-based selection process. These include principals, headmasters, and experienced teachers who will carry out random checks of 15% of answer sheets. According to the board secretary, the objective behind this move is to make the evaluation process error-free, transparent, and credible, thereby strengthening the integrity of the examination system and safeguarding students’ academic future.However, the decision has triggered discontent among school principals across the state. The Rajkiya Shikshak Sangh Uttar Pradesh has lodged a formal objection by submitting a memorandum to the additional chief secretary (Secondary Education). The association’s provincial patron, Rameshwar Pandey, and general secretary Arun Yadav said that assigning auditing duties to principals is against the dignity of their position. They pointed out that regional offices in Prayagraj, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Bareilly, and Meerut have issued such orders, leading to widespread resentment among high school principals.
