PRAYAGRAJ, July 26 -- The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UP Board) will print candidates' signatures on Class 10 and 12 admit cards from the 2027 Board examinations. The move aims to prevent impersonation by ensuring only genuine candidates appear in the examinations. The Board has started collecting students' signatures along with photographs during the ongoing online registration process for the 2027 High School and Intermediate examinations. More than 5 million students are expected to appear in the examinations next year, officials said. During the examinations, invigilators will match the signatures printed on admit cards with those made by candidates on their answer books and attendance sheets. The verification process is expected to make it significantly harder for proxy candidates or "solvers" to impersonate registered students, they maintain. "We are committed to conducting Board examinations in a cheating-free and fair manner in line with the government's objective. This year, candidates' signatures are also being collected. These will be matched with the signatures on answer books and attendance sheets to ensure that only genuine students appear in the examinations," said Bhagwati Singh, secretary, UP Board. In previous years, several cases of impersonation surfaced in which proxy candidates appeared in place of genuine examinees. Such incidents were allegedly facilitated by some private school operators through photo manipulation, leading to FIRs against examination mafiosi and proxy candidates in several districts. Officials said introducing signatures on admit cards is another safeguard against such rackets and strengthen identity verification at examination centres. The registration process for Class 10 and 12 students will continue until August 5. After depositing the prescribed examination fee in the treasury by August 10, principals will have to upload fee details and students' academic records on the board's website by midnight on August 16....