Uttar Pradesh's Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra on Wednesday, March 16, directed all divisional commissioners, regional deputy inspector generals of police, police commissioners, district magistrates and senior superintendents/superintendents of police to ensure that UP Board examinations 2022 are conducted in a free and fair manner, Hindustan Times reported.
As per the UP Board timetable released earlier this month, the exams are to be held in offline mode for the students of Class X and Class XII. The exams will commence from March 24 and continue till April 12. As many as 51,92,689 students are set to appear for the Board exams at 8,373 exam centres this year.
As per the instructions issued by Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra, under the provisions of the UP Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 1998, prompt action would be taken when it comes to the offence of using unfair means, breach of confidentiality of the question paper and violent acts in the examinations.
It has also been directed that prohibitory orders should be imposed under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure within a radius of 100 meters around the board examination centre and if necessary, outside it as well. “The operation of photocopier and scanner within a radius of at least 1 km from the examination centers would be strictly prohibited during the examination period. Attack on center superintendent and teachers related to examination work etc will be considered as a cognizable offence,” the directions read.
The examination centre has to be completely sanitised following COVID protocol. Along with the arrangement of sanitiser, hand wash, thermal scanning, pulse oximeter and first aid kit, social distancing has to be followed, it further read. The administration will take cognizance of criminal/threatening behaviour by any person/persons towards any personnel associated with the examination and prompt legal action will be taken if found guilty. Moreover, a close watch will be kept on persons who mislead the examinees by improper printing or publication and rumours. The rules make it mandatory that searching of girl examinees be done by female members of the inspecting team.
