education

Updated: Feb 09, 2019 09:35 IST

As many as 40,392 students skipped the ongoing UP Board examinations that entered its second day on Friday. The figure includes 20,674 students who did not turn up to write their paper on the first day, according to the statistics released by UP Madhamik Siksha Parishad on Friday evening.

“Around 40,392 candidates did not turn up to write their examinations. This is the number that we have tabulated after compiling students’ attendance on the completion of first two days of the exams. We can’t say exactly if it is due to strict measures put in place to put an end to copying,” said Neena Srivastava, secretary, UP Board.

Last year, a record 10,44,619 students – nearly 15% of all those who had registered – had skipped the UP Board exams.

Like last year, the Special Task Force (STF) has been tasked with keeping copying mafia away from the examination centres.Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, in a video conferencing on Saturday, had asked all district magistrates and district inspector of schools to remain vigilant against copying mafia.

On Friday, agriculture paper was held for high school students and music for intermediate students, said Mukesh Kumar Singh, district inspector of schools, Lucknow. He visited Gandhi Inter college in Alambagh area and other centres for inspection during the exam.

“Strict measures, including heavy deployment of police, have been put in place. Invigilation staff has been instructed to ensure that unfair means are not used. We are trying for the first time to hold examinations in 16 working days, which should be a record in itself. Sector and zonal magistrates at exam centres have also been deputed to check any untoward incident,” said Srivastava.

A total of 58,06,922 students were registered for high school and intermediate examinations. Of these 31,95,603 were for high school and 26,11,319 for intermediate exams.

Last year, a record 10,44,619 lakh students – nearly 15% of all those who had registered – had skipped the UP Board exams.

Due to strictness last year, registrations for 2019 examinations witnessed a sharp fall of about 9 lakh students as compared to last year.