In its 100th year, UP Board set for a mega revamp

In its centenary year, UP Board is all set for a never-before revamp of its act and regulations.

The state government has decided to undertake an in-depth scrutiny of the ‘UP Intermediate Education Act-1921’ that paved way for the setting up of Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad, as the board is formally known, in 1921. Today the board is counted among the largest examination bodies of the world, inform officials.

The plan is to do away with all outdated or irrelevant provisions existing in the act and include new ones, if needed, keeping with the current times, they add.

The move will directly impact around 12.5 million (1.25 crore) students enrolled in over 28,000 schools affiliated to the board across 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh. Interestingly, UP Board conducted its very first exam in 1923 that saw mere 5,655 students appearing in its high school exam and another 89 appearing in its intermediate exam. In 2020, the board witnessed around 5.61 million (56.1 lakh) students appearing in its examinations including 3.02 million in high school and 2.58 million in intermediate exams.

For this revamp of the act, four separate panels of officials have been formed on the instructions of the state government by Director (secondary education) Vinay Kumar Pandey.

These panels have been asked to submit their recommendations within 15 days after undertaking review of its different sections, informed UP Board secretary Divyakant Shukla.

UP Board secretary personally will be heading one panel comprising additional secretary (administration) Shivlal and the additional secretary of all five regional offices of UP Board as members.

“This committee will study section 1 to 15 as well as 17 to 22 of the Act and submit a proposal with recommended amendments that it deems necessary,” said Shukla.

For scrutiny of section 16 of the act and making suggestions for the changes in it, three separate panels have been formed.