PRAYAGRAJ, Dec. 22 -- To curb the entry of fake examiners in the Uttar Pradesh Board's 2026 High School and Intermediate examinations, the Board has decided to issue photo identity cards to all invigilators and circulate photo-based lists of invigilation staff to every examination centre. This two-level verification mechanism is intended to ensure the integrity and credibility of the Board examinations. UP Board secretary Bhagwati Singh said that photographs of all invigilators appointed for the 2026 examinations will be printed on their issued identity cards as well as on the official invigilator lists provided to each centre superintendent. He added that invigilators will be permitted to enter the examination centre only after the superintendent verifies and matches the photograph on the ID card with the one on the official list. The move comes after the detection of 16 fake invigilators at various examination centres across the state during the 2025 exams. Singh said this incident prompted the Board to introduce identity cards for all invigilators. He further noted that District Inspectors of Schools have been directed to ensure that no imposters appear in place of genuine candidates. Emphasising strict accountability, Singh stated that both the centre superintendent and the concerned invigilator will be held responsible if any instance of impersonation or fake invigilation is found. In the 2025 exams, authorities apprehended 49 imposters along with the 16 fake invigilators. All those caught were sentenced to three to six months in jail and fined under the provisions of The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. A total of 113 FIRs were lodged against use of unfair means in the 2025 exams. The UP STF alone lodged 22 FIRs against imposters and fake invigilators....