UP board: Over 5 lakh students skip exams in just 2 days

Over five lakh students decided to skip the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Board examinations following what the officials claim crackdown on the organised copying mafia and strict invigilation this year.

Board sources here said that over two lakh students  skipped the examinations on the very first day and this number swelled to over five lakh on the second day.

Sources claimed that the number of students caught using unfair means at the examinations also registered a sharp decline this year. ''After three days of examinations only around 500 cheaters had been caught...this number was higher last year,'' said an official here on Thursday.

The state government has made elaborate arrangements this year to prevent mass copying and even deployed the special task force (STF) of the UP police for this purpose.

Sub-divisional magistrates  have also been entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that there was no mass copying at the examination centres, sources said.

Besides CCTV cameras had also been installed at the examination halls at the centres notorious for mass copying, sources said.

Deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, who also holds the education portfolio, has been conducting surprise checks at the examination centres across the state.

Around a dozen people, including teachers and a principal of a college, have so far been arrested on charges of aiding mass copying, according to the officials.

Over 67 lakh students had registered for this year's High School and Intermediate examinations, which began on Tuesday.