While the Board put the official figure of absent students at 2,29,705, sources said by Tuesday evening, the figure crossed three lakh. In Class X, 1,89,661 students failed to appear in the exams while 40,044 students did not turn up for the intermediate exams, says the official figure.

Sources said the number of students who skipped the exams in 16 districts was not available with the Board and if these figures are included, the total number of absentees would cross three lakh in the two days of the exams. Last year, the total number of students who left the exams for various reasons was 4.68 lakh. This year, the total figure could touch six to seven lakh.

Meanwhile, students went on a rampage and indulged into arson in Ghoorpur area in Allahabad. While the Board secretary Prabha Tripathi blamed the district inspector of school Dinesh Singh, the latter said he had taken prior approval of the Board to change the centre from Shiv Kumari Inter College, Karchana, to Radha Raman Inter College, Ghoorpur.

Asked to explain the unusually large number of students deciding to stay away from the exams, Tripathi said the decision of the Board to bring in stricter measures like attendance sheet system with student’s photo at every centre might have deterred many of them.

“We have started an inquiry against the district inspectors of schools who have made changes in the examination centres without the approval of the Board and strict action would be initiated against them. The Board would also black- list the schools from where maximum number of students did not appear in the exams,” she said.