PRAYAGRAJ, July 10 -- In a bid to emerge from the shadow of paper leak controversies, the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the smooth and transparent conduct of the Review Officer (RO)/Assistant Review Officer (ARO) (Preliminary) Examination-2023. The paper leak in 2024 and subsequent cancellation had also dealt a blow to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government which saw a massive drop in the number of seats in the state in the Lok Sabha elections. Preparations are in full swing for the exam which is scheduled to be held at around 2,382 centres tentatively in all 75 districts of the state on July 27. The Commission on Tuesday held a meeting with nodal officers from every district to brief them on exam-related guidelines. "The number of centres can, however, vary depending upon the feedback from district magistrates, police and intelligence inputs as well as weather constraints, etc," UPPSC secretary Ashok Kumar said. As many as 10,76,004 candidates who have applied for 411 posts are eligible to appear for the exam. Admit cards will be issued 8-10 days prior to the examination, the UPPSC secretary added. To ensure fair and transparent conduct of the exam, several modern technologies have been adopted this time. Biometric verification and iris scanning have been made mandatory for all candidates to confirm their identity accurately, officials said while choosing to be tight-lipped about their strategies. In the recent meeting, nodal officers were informed that the monitoring system had been significantly strengthened compared to previous years, keeping in mind the convenience of candidates and the need for transparency. In case of any technical glitch or breach at an exam centre, the monitoring agency responsible would be penalised, officials said. To maintain the integrity of the examination, a sector magistrate will be deployed at each exam centre. Additionally, CCTV surveillance, flying squads, and an online monitoring cell will also be in place, officials said. The RO/ARO (Preliminary) Examination-2023 was previously held across 2,387 centres in 58 districts of the state on February 11. However, it was cancelled due to the paper leak. The exam is being reconducted now after a delay of one and a half years. This time, it will take place in 75 districts at 2,382 tentative centres -- 17 more districts but five less centres....