UP Board Exams 2026: Over 52 Lakh Students Register, Decline in Intermediate Enrolment

The Uttar Pradesh Board has once again recorded one of the largest student turnouts in Asia, with over 52.3 lakh students registering for the upcoming UP Board Exams 2026. Despite the massive scale, this year’s total registrations have dropped by more than two lakh candidates compared to 2025.

According to the Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Council (UPMSP), a total of 1.01 crore students have registered from Classes 9 to 12 for the 2025–26 academic session. The board continues to hold the record for being Asia’s largest school examination body.

Class-Wise Registration Breakdown

For Class 10 (High School), 14,38,682 boys and 13,12,263 girls have registered, while for Class 12 (Intermediate), 13,03,012 boys and 11,76,340 girls are enrolled.
In Class 9, 14,11,298 boys and 13,25,911 girls registered, and for Class 11, 11,29,007 boys and 10,79,918 girls signed up — reflecting a fairly balanced gender ratio across the state.

Sharp Decline in Intermediate Enrolment

The data shows a sharp drop in Class 12 enrolments this year. In 2025, 27,05,009 students appeared for intermediate exams, while in 2026, the figure dropped to 24,79,352, marking a decrease of 2,25,657 students.
Education experts attribute this dip to changing academic preferences, an increasing shift toward vocational training, and migration to private or CBSE boards.

Slight Increase in High School Registrations

While intermediate numbers have declined, Class 10 has seen a marginal rise. The 2026 high school registration count stands at 27,50,945, an increase of 18,780 students from the previous year.

According to UPMSP statistics, Class 9 has 27,37,209 students, Class 11 has 22,08,925, and Class 12 has 24,79,352 registered candidates.

Revision of Final Data Underway

UP Board Secretary Bhagwati Singh stated that these figures are provisional and may slightly change after the final revision.

“The final number of students and examination centres will be confirmed once the correction process concludes. The board aims to ensure transparent and fair examinations across Uttar Pradesh,”
he said.

The final list of registered students and examination centres will be announced shortly, followed by the UP Board Class 10 and 12 Exam Datesheet 2026.

Conclusion

Even as the UP Board Exams 2026 continue to uphold their record as Asia’s largest school examination, the decline in intermediate enrolments indicates shifting trends in student aspirations. The final data and exam centre details will soon be made available on the official UPMSP website.