UP Board Exam 2026: Admit Card Status and Key Updates
The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) is set to conduct its annual high school and intermediate examinations starting February 18. With the exams approaching, students across the state are eagerly awaiting the release of their admit cards. While several media reports suggest that the hall tickets have already been made available, an official confirmation from the board is still pending at the time of this report.
This year, a substantial number of candidates from across Uttar Pradesh will appear for the board exams. Authorities have implemented a range of new measures aimed at making the examination process more secure, transparent, and strictly free from any form of malpractice.
Over 52 Lakh Students Registered for Board Exams
The total number of registered candidates for this year’s UPMSP examinations stands at an impressive 52,30,297. This includes 27,50,945 students enrolled for the High School (Class 10) examinations and 24,79,352 students registered for the Intermediate (Class 12) exams. To manage such a massive scale of examinations efficiently, the board and district administrations have collaborated on extensive preparations to ensure the entire process concludes without any major disruptions.
Strict Surveillance Planned at 8,033 Examination Centres
In a bid to maintain the integrity of the examinations, the board has designated a total of 8,033 examination centres throughout the state. All these centres will be equipped with CCTV cameras for continuous monitoring. The responsibilities of centre administrators have been clearly defined, and local authorities have been instructed to remain vigilant. These measures are in place to prevent any untoward incidents or breaches of discipline during the exam period.
New QR Code ID System for Invigilators
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, UPMSP has introduced QR code-based identity cards for examination invigilators this year. These digital IDs were uploaded to the board’s official portal on February 10, 2026. The primary objective of this new system is to prevent any unauthorized individuals from impersonating invigilators and gaining entry into examination halls. Verification of these QR code IDs will be a mandatory step during the exams.
Stricter Rules for Answer Sheets
The board has issued new, stringent guidelines regarding the use of answer sheets. Students are now required to write their roll number and copy number on every single page of their answer booklet. Tearing out any page from the answer sheet is strictly prohibited. Furthermore, students are not allowed to make any identifying marks or write their names anywhere inside the answer sheet. Any violation of these rules could lead to the cancellation of the student’s examination.
Enhanced Security Features in Answer Booklets
Significant changes have been made to the design of the answer booklets this year to bolster security. The copies are now prepared in a vertical format, featuring a thin margin line on the left side and top of every page. The text “UPMSP” is printed in small English letters along these lines, which is difficult to read with the naked eye. This step has been taken to safeguard the authenticity and integrity of the answer sheets.
Details on Cover Page and Page Counts
Specific changes have also been made to the cover pages and page counts of the answer booklets. For the Intermediate main answer sheet, the details on the cover page are now printed in pink, while the supplementary copy, known as the ‘B’ copy, features a sky-blue colour. The main High School answer booklet will consist of 16 pages, whereas the main Intermediate booklet will have 32 pages, including the cover. The supplementary ‘B’ copies for both classes will contain 12 pages each, including the cover. The total number of pages will be clearly indicated on the cover page of each booklet.
The board has stated that the purpose behind all these new measures is to create a more transparent, secure, and fair examination environment for the students, ensuring a reliable and trustworthy process for all stakeholders involved.
