UP govt to enforce loudspeaker ban near exam centres, orders STF vigil in sensitive districts
To curb cheating mafias, the CS ordered criminal action against disruptors, CCTV surveillance in strong rooms, armed security deployment, and surprise inspections
LUCKNOW The state government will enforce loudspeaker ban near examination centres and has ordered strict surveillance in highly sensitive districts to ensure fair and smooth conduct of the UP Board Exams.
Chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh issued these directives on Monday during a video conference with divisional commissioners, district magistrates, and senior police officers.
The high school and intermediate exams, scheduled from February 24 to March 12, will see 54.37 lakh students appearing at 8,140 centres across the state. Singh mandated 100% inspection of centres in advance and a zero-tolerance policy on cheating.
Seventeen districts, including Agra, Mathura, Azamgarh, Prayagraj, Aligarh and Jaunpur, have been marked highly sensitive, requiring special STF and LIU surveillance. The police have been instructed to avoid unnecessary announcements near exam centres in Prayagraj, Ayodhya, and Varanasi. Uninterrupted power supply and timely public transport for students have also been mandated.
To curb cheating mafias, Singh ordered criminal action against disruptors, CCTV surveillance in strong rooms, armed security deployment, and surprise inspections. Social media monitoring will be intensified to prevent misinformation.
Additional chief secretary (secondary education) Deepak Kumar informed about new measures, including geo-fencing for examiners, online marks uploads, coded question papers, and tamper-proof, water-resistant certificates with sunlight-reflective logos.
Senior officials, including DG (school education) Kanchan Verma and secretary Bhagwati Singh, attended the meeting.