UP Board exam 2020: Centres to ensure 20 square feet space for each student

The board hopes that ensuring a minimum of 20 sq ft space for every examinee will help it conduct the UP board exams in a fairer manner

Examination halls holding UP Board exams would now have to ensure a minimum of 20 square feet of space for every student, the Hindustan Times reported, quoting officials . The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad, commonly referred to as the UP Board, has issued instructions in this regard. The decision was taken after the board received reports that some centres lacked adequate space to manage examinees.

All district inspectors of school (DIoSes) have been instructed by the board to verify that schools vying to become centres of board examinations across the state have the required infrastructure.

The DIoSes have been instructed to submit their reports and recommendations by October 15.

The plan, according to the report, is to ensure that the number of examinees allowed per centre is fixed.

UP Board Secretary Neena Srivastava said the rule was already in place but was never strictly enforced. The board hopes that ensuring a minimum of 20 sq ft space for every examinee will also help it to conduct the UP Board exams in a fairer manner. 

However, implementation this will be a challenge for the board, given the sheer size of the exercise. According to reports, the UP Board had 3,656,272 high schools and 29,82,996 intermediate students registered to appear for the exam at 8,444 centres in 2018.