Reach venue an hour before exam begins: HS council tells students

TNN | KOLKATA: The Higher Secondary Council has adopted unprecedented security measures ahead of the HS examination in a bid to prevent question paper ‘leaks’ that have plagued Madhyamik exam. Students appearing in HS have to reach the venue at least an hour before the test each day. Also, guardians will not be allowed to enter the exam venue before the exam is over for the day. More than 8 lakh students will take the examination this year.

So this year, students will have to reach the centres at 9am. The exam will commence at 10am and students will be barred from leaving the exam hall till 11am.

“The HS exam begins on February 26 and will go on till March 13. We have taken these measures to enhance security at the exam centres. The additional time will allow proper frisking of students so that no electronic gadgets, including cellphones, are carried into the venue,” a source at the council said.

He added the board was determined to prevent a repeat of this year’s Madhyamik exam in which question papers have found their way to social networking sites within minutes of the commencement of the tests.

Officially, though, the council claims the additional time is to simply ensure that all students reach the exam centres on time. “General election is knocking on the door. The dates for the polls are due to be announced any day. We do not want candidates to be caught in traffic snarls caused by political processions and rallies,” an HS Council board member explained.

Venue supervisors have also been given power to seize any unauthorized gadget and taken stringent action against the person violating the code.

A complaint format has also been prepared for supervisors to report any aberration to the council.

If a school staff or any other person is seen using a cellphone while the exam is underway, the offender will be reported to the council.

A special government nominee at the venue will assist supervisors keep vigil on confidentiality of question papers. The nominee will also check examinees at the entrance to ensure that no one enters with a cellphone or any other electronic gadget.

As per existing rule, students are not allowed to leave the exam hall, even to go to the toilet, within an hour of the commencement of an exam.