Odisha readies measures to thwart question leak in HSE exam

Bhubaneswar: In order to avoid incidents like leakage of question papers on social media during the annual High School Certificate (HSC) examination this year, the Odisha government has decided to take several new measures, including appointment of some special officers having adequate exposure in handling social media, for smooth and glitch-free conduct of the examinations.

The HSC examinations will begin on February 22 and conclude on March 8.

A high-level meeting was held here at State Secretariat under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi to review the preparedness of the district administration through video conferencing. State Director General of Police (DGP) R P Sharma was also present in the meeting.

In the meeting it was decided that the question papers will reach the exam centre on the same day of the exam. “Earlier question papers used to reach exam centres the night before the examination but, we have decided to send it on the same day,” Padhi told reporters after the meeting.

The question papers will be sent to examination centres between 6 AM and 8. 30 AM on the day of the exam, he added.

Besides, Padhi directed the officials of the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) and the district collectors to ensure smooth and hassle-free examination.

Development Commissioner Asit Kumar Tripathy, who was also present in the meeting, asked the officials of the BSE and the School and Mass Education department to remain vigilant to counter any rumour on leakage of question papers on social media.

Principal Secretary, School and Mass Education Department, Pradipta Mahapatra said use of mobile phones by the centre superintendents and the centre staff has been completely banned.

“On the first day of the examination, the students will be allowed to enter the examination centre at 9 AM, while on the other day of the examination the entry timing will be 9.15 AM,” Mahapatra said.

He further added that boys and girls will be checked separately to ensure no malpractice.

DGP R P Sharma said any illegal activity relating to examination is a cognizable and non-bailable offence. Adequate police force will be deployed at the examination centres and during the dispatch of question papers from the nodal centres to the examination centres to maintain law and order situation, he added.

A total of 5,87,720 students will appear in the annual HSC examinations. The evaluation of the answer sheets will begin at 60 centres in the state from March 25 to April 7.

Among others, Principal Secretary, Finance, Ashok Kumar Meena and senior officials of the School and Mass Education department also had a video conferencing with the district collectors, SPs and district education officers (DEOs).