The layout of UP Board answer sheets has been changed for the first time; cheating will be completely stopped, a major change for students as well.

For the first time, the UP Board has completely changed the layout of high school and intermediate answer sheets, eliminating any possibility of cheating or copy alteration. Let's learn the full details...

The UP Board has made history this year. The board has been established for over 100 years, but for the first time, the layout of high school and intermediate answer sheets has been completely changed. This change is not just for show, but to prevent cheating, prevent copy exchanges, and provide better writing facilities to students.

The 2026 UP Board exams will be held between February 18 and March 12. The number of students taking the board exams this year is over 52,30,297. This includes 2.75 million students in the 10th grade and approximately 2.5 million in the 12th grade. To accommodate this large number, approximately 26 million new copies are being printed, which will be distributed to all districts by January.

Why is the layout of the copies being changed?

Until now, UP Board copies were printed in width. This format had been in place for a long time, but this time the Board has completely changed it. In 2026, candidates will receive longer copies. This will provide students with more space while writing, and their writing will appear neat and organized according to the page.

Board Secretary Bhagwati Singh says that the biggest benefit of changing the layout will be that exchange of copies will now be virtually impossible. This is a major blow to the cheating mafia, as the new layout will change the identity of the copies and any irregularities will be detected.

Special color coding in copies

12th grade A copy - 24 pages, with information printed in magenta on the first page
12th grade B copy - 12 pages, green
10th grade A copy - 18 pages, brown
10th grade B copy - 12 pages, green

Every copy will have the Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad's monogram on every page. This will prevent any potential for duplication. Copies will be identified at every level, and attempts to substitute counterfeit copies will be thwarted. The new copies are being printed at government presses in Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, and Rampur to ensure security and quality.

UP Board's biggest step to prevent cheating

The UP Board, Asia's largest examination body, has been working on a mission to make examinations free of cheating for the past several years. High-tech centers, CCTV cameras, and scanning of scanned copies—many such improvements have been implemented. But changing the layout of answer sheets for the 2026 exam is considered the biggest and most effective step to date. This decision will make it extremely difficult for the cheating mafia to alter answer sheets. Board officials claim that this will further enhance transparency in examinations and strengthen student confidence.

This historic change comes after 100 years

The UP Board has a long history. It was established in 1921 and the first board exam was conducted in 1923. Since then, there has never been a major change in the answer sheet layout. This will happen for the first time in 2026, which the board considers a historic step. Currently, the board has released a provisional list of 7,448 examination centers. The final list will be released on December 30, 2025. The 2026 practical exams will be held in January.