The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) has reportedly decided to bring changes to its HSC and SSC question paper
format. As per reports, the Maharashtra board has decided to down to cut down the question papers from 10-11 pages to three or four pages printed on both sides. This is being done to reduce the board's annual printing bill. It is reported that this change is being brought in to cut the board’s annual printing bill by 60 per cent, which will end up saving around Rs 18 crore from the Board's usual Rs 30 crore bill. “At present, question papers for several subjects extend to 10 or 11 pages, increasing both printing expenditure and complexity for students,” Board chairperson Trigun Kulkarni told Indian Express. “Under the revised structure, the board plans to shrink papers to three or four pages printed on both sides.” This is also being done to reduce usage of paper and make the process more sustainable, reports suggested. The chairperson also stated that the redesigned papers will display marks more clearly, sequence questions better, and group sub-parts together on the same page. This will also help students navigate the questions faster during exams. The changes are expected to take effect from the 2026-27 academic year exams. The Maharashtra Board is also expected to bring changes to the existing Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices Act 1982. While the existing law covers paper leaks and cheating, reports suggest that the amendments would bring in additional offences, including tampering with answer sheets and irregularities in re-evaluation. This is being done to ensure that there is a tougher framework that can act as a barrier against exam fraud. Meanwhile, MSBSHSE declared the class 10 (SSC) results on May 8, and the the overall pass percentage for fresh regular candidates this year is 92.09 per cent. The overall pass percentage of private candidates is recorded at 76.33 per cent this year. TheHSC (class 12) results were declared on May 2, in which the pass percentage declined to 89.79% in 2026, down from 91.88% in 2025.
