Maharashtra Board to Revamp SSC, HSC Exam Papers; Printing Cost to Drop by Rs 18 Crore

The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) has announced a major overhaul in the format of SSC and HSC board examination question papers. As part of the new initiative, the board will reduce the length of question papers by nearly 60 per cent, aiming to simplify the exam experience for students while significantly cutting printing expenses.
According to reports, the current 10 to 11-page question papers will now be compressed into just three to four pages printed on both sides. The move is expected to help the board save around Rs 18 crore annually from its present printing expenditure of nearly Rs 30 crore.
MSBSHSE Chairperson Trigun Kulkarni said the redesigned format is intended not only to reduce costs but also to minimise paper usage and make question papers easier for students to navigate during examinations. The board plans to organise questions more efficiently, clearly mention marks, and keep sub-questions grouped together on the same page.
The development comes shortly after the declaration of Maharashtra SSC and HSC Results 2026, which saw a decline in overall pass percentages compared to previous years. The Maharashtra SSC Result 2026 recorded a pass percentage of 92.02 per cent, while the HSC Result 2026 stood at 89.79 per cent.
The revised format is expected to be implemented for upcoming Maharashtra Board examinations, though the board is yet to release detailed guidelines regarding subject-wise paper patterns and formatting changes.