HSC exams begin tomorrow in Maharashtra; students won’t be let into centre once exam begins

New rule in place to prevent paper leaks and other malpractices; exams scheduled at 11am and 3pm

A day before students appear for the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations, the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) has once again reminded candidates that they will not be allowed to enter an exam centre once the examination begins. The aim is to avoid any form of malpractice this year during examinations, which begin from February 21.

An exam underway in Thane. (HT File Photo/Used for representational purpose)

“The exam begins sharp at 11am in the morning session and 3pm in the afternoon, so students should be inside the classroom before that. No student will be allowed after 11am and 3 pm so students should reach the exam centre before time to avoid any delay,” said Subhash Borse, secretary in charge of the state board’s Mumbai division. Over 3,30,000 students will be appearing for the exam from Mumbai division, which consists of Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Palghar districts, this year. The education board has not released data on the number of candidates from Maharashtra. Last year, 1.5 million students from the state appeared for the exam.

After a series of paper leaks rocked the HSC examinations in 2017, the state board has been upgrading its examination system to avoid a repetition of the problem this year. Last year, five HSC question papers were leaked on WhatsApp 30 minutes before the exam was set to begin.

Another major change that will be introduced to HSC examinations this year is that packets of question papers will be opened only in the exam hall. “All packets of question papers will be opened by the supervisor only once they enter the classroom, in the presence of at least three students. We have also given clear instructions to all staff at every exam centre to switch off their mobile phones before entering the centre,” added Borse. This is to prevent staff members from taking photographs of the question paper and sending the images to students.

This year, the state board has also increased the number of flying squads monitoring exam centres across the state. Mumbai division will alone have six different flying squads, one for each district that falls under the division.