To check cheating in board exams, the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday directed the Secondary Education department to avoid conducting exams at the centres against which complaints of mass copying were received in the past three years.

"While allotting examination centres, it should be ensured that no school should be made centre where complaints of mass copying were received in past three years," Secondary Education Minister Mehboob Ali said while reviewing preparations for board examinations.

He also said that the examination should not be held in open by erecting tents in open and the centres should have boundary walls.

There should be proper arrangement in the centres to maintain secrecy of question papers, he said.