The Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Council (UP Board) has announced that a total of 52,30,297 students have registered for the UP Board Examinations 2026 for High School (Class 10) and Intermediate (Class 12) levels, making it Asia’s largest school examination once again. However, this year’s registration shows a decline of over two lakh candidates compared to the previous year.

UP Board 2026: Registration Overview

For the 2025–26 academic session, a total of 1,01,76,431 students have registered across Classes 9 to 12 in Uttar Pradesh.

  • Class 9: 14,11,298 boys and 13,25,911 girls
  • Class 11: 11,29,007 boys and 10,79,918 girls

These figures highlight a near gender balance among the enrolled students statewide.

Intermediate Enrolments Show Decline

According to official data, the number of students registering for the Class 12 (Intermediate) examinations has seen a noticeable drop.

  • 2025 Session: 27,05,009 students
  • 2026 Session: 24,79,352 students

This represents a decline of 2,25,657 candidates compared to last year. Education analysts attribute this decrease to factors such as shifting academic choices, early enrolment in vocational programs, and migration to other educational boards.

High School Registrations Increase Slightly

In contrast, Class 10 (High School) registrations have shown a small but positive rise.

  • 2025 Session: 27,32,165 students
  • 2026 Session: 27,50,945 students

This marks an increase of 18,780 students, reflecting continued enthusiasm among secondary-level candidates.

Provisional Data and Revisions

UP Board Secretary Bhagwati Singh stated that the current figures are provisional and subject to revision.

“After the revision process, there may be slight changes in the final number of students. The number of examination centres will also be decided after the revision is completed,” he added.

Once the verification process concludes, the UP Board will release the final list of registered candidates and approved examination centres to ensure the fair and transparent conduct of the examinations across all districts.

Educational Qualification for UP Board Exams

Students appearing for the UP Board High School Examination (Class 10) must have completed Class 9 under a recognized institution affiliated with the board.
Those registering for the Intermediate Examination (Class 12) are required to have successfully passed Class 11. Candidates must also maintain the minimum attendance criteria and adhere to the board’s eligibility and registration norms as prescribed by the UP Secondary Education Council.

With over 52 lakh students preparing to appear, the UP Board Exams 2026 remain one of the largest and most significant academic assessments in Asia, reinforcing Uttar Pradesh’s central role in India’s education system.