Maharashtra board to slash HSC, SSC exam paper length by 60%
Question papers will shrink from 11 pages to four, cutting the state's annual printing bill by ₹18 crore
Maharashtra HSC SSC paper length will be dropped by 60 per cent (Express Photo) The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) is overhauling its Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and Secondary School Certificate (SSC) question paper format, shrinking papers from 10-11 pages down to three or four pages printed on both sides. The move is aiming to cut the board’s annual printing bill by 60%, saving around Rs 18 crore of the Rs 30 crore it currently spends each year.
Board chairperson Trigun Kulkarni said the redesign also serves an environmental purpose by reducing paper use. “At present, question papers for several subjects extend to 10 or 11 pages, increasing both printing expenditure and complexity for students,” he said.
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“Under the revised structure, the board plans to shrink papers to three or four pages printed on both sides,” added Kulkarni.
The redesigned papers are expected to display marks more clearly, sequence questions better, and group sub-parts together on the same page to help students navigate them more easily during exams.
The changes are expected to take effect from the 2026-27 academic year exams.
The board is also pushing amendments to the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices Act 1982. The existing law covers paper leaks and cheating, but the proposed changes would bring in additional offences, including tampering with answer sheets and irregularities in re-evaluation. The board says the tougher framework will act as a deterrent against exam fraud.
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