UP Board to take strict action against teachers for skipping evaluation work

Prayagraj: After successfully announcing the results of the High School and Intermediate Examinations for 2025, the Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Board (UP Board) is now tightening its noose around teachers who skipped evaluation duties.

The Board has initiated an inquiry to identify teachers who served as room invigilators during exams but failed to turn up for the evaluation of answer sheets between March 19 and April 2. Board secretary Bhagwati Singh has directed all district inspectors of schools (DIOS) to furnish detailed records of such teachers.

Approximately 1,48,667 teachers were appointed as evaluators for the evaluation of about 2.84 crore answer sheets across 261 centres. However, around 30,000 to 35,000 teachers who performed invigilation duties did not participate in the evaluation process, some not even for a single day, while many just took the work as a formality.

The board has not ruled out that some of these individuals may be impersonators. If found guilty, strict action will be taken against such individuals and against the school that appointed them. It is worth mentioning that during the exam period, several fake invigilators were apprehended by board's mobile teams, and criminal cases were registered under the Uttar Pradesh Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which mandates life imprisonment and fines up to Rs 1 crore. Now, a similar probe is being launched into those who skipped evaluation work.

A major concern is that these teachers accepted remuneration but failed to deliver on their responsibilities, thereby delaying the evaluation timeline and undermining the efforts of sincere examiners. The board fears that such behaviour sends a damaging message to those who uphold their duties with integrity. In a strongly worded statement, Singh said: "Teachers have to understand that things are not to be taken for granted anymore. Evaluation is a crucial part of their responsibility. Many often try to abstain from it, citing vague assumptions, but this cannot be tolerated now. Some may have genuine reasons, but we should know the details."

"There are cases where teachers did not evaluate even a single copy the whole day. This not only disrupts the system but demoralises those who work with sincerity. The answer sheets could have been evaluated in a week's time, so why did it take longer? Clearly, some teachers neglected their duties, and we are trying to find them and take action against them," said Singh. Moreover, if schools are found to have deputed ineligible people for duty, both the school and its principal will face consequences, he added.