As Class 10 and 12 students arrived for their first UP Board examination on Monday, a mix of anxiety and nervousness was evident. However, several exam centers took extra steps to ease their stress.

Some centers were decorated with balloons, green carpets, and motivational posters with messages like “Welcome” and “All the Best.” At a few locations, teachers and invigilators greeted students with warmth, checking their hall tickets while also applying vermilion and showering them with flower petals.

Minister of State for Secondary Education, Gulab Devi, visited Government Jubilee Inter College in Qaiserbagh, where she welcomed students with chocolates, roses, and floral garlands. Meanwhile, authorities remained vigilant to ensure smooth proceedings.

On the first day, 50,732 students from Lucknow Division appeared for the High School examination, with 2,931 marked absent. In the Intermediate category, 47,255 students were present, while 2,118 did not attend.

Student reactions

Abhishek Aaseei, a Class 10 student, found the Hindi paper manageable, though multiple-choice questions posed a challenge. He noted that literature sections, including writer biographies, were straightforward, but Sanskrit was tricky.

Sonam Kumari, a Class 12 student, found the paper lengthy, with prose questions being easy but poetry requiring deeper analysis. She struggled with time management and missed the last question but remained optimistic about future exams.