PRAYAGRAJ, Sept. 13 -- The UP Board has withheld the results of more than 400 students who appeared for the Class 10 compartment/improvement and Class 12 compartment examinations this year after finding currency notes inside their answer sheets during the evaluation process. The compartment/improvement examinations were held on July 28, with the evaluation of answer sheets conducted online for the first time. The board had declared the Class 10 and Class 12 compartment examination results on August 17. However, results of the students whose answer sheets contained currency notes have been withheld pending the hearing process. This is the first time that such a large number of students have faced action for keeping currency notes along with the answer sheets. The board had, for the first time this year, classified the practice as use of unfair means. The affected students are being issued notices through the respective district inspectors of schools (DIOS) and will be given an opportunity to present their case. A decision on their results will be taken by the board's examination committee after the hearings, UP Board secretary Bhagwati Singh said. The answer sheets from across the state were scanned at Government Inter College in Prayagraj before being made available to examiners on computers and laptops for evaluation. During scanning, personnel of the private computer firm engaged for the process detected currency notes in some answer sheets and informed the board. More than Rs.20,000 in cash was recovered from the answer sheets, according to officials, and the amount was deposited in the government treasury. Students who appeared for the compartment examination and had their results withheld would remain unsuccessful in the compartment examination. Those who appeared for the improvement examination, however, would continue to be considered passed on the basis of their main examination results, though their improvement results would not be released. In the Class 10 compartment/improvement examination, 20,855 students had registered, of whom 19,394 appeared and 19,191 passed. In the Class 12 compartment examination, 21,227 students had registered, 20,540 appeared and 16,286 passed. The board's action is also being seen as a warning for future examinees, with officials making it clear that results could similarly be withheld if currency notes are found inside answer sheets....