Patna: The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) will construct 29 multi-purpose examination buildings-cum-strongrooms across 27 districts, with administrative approval of Rs 330 crore, 7 lakh and 13 thousand.
Development Commissioner Mihir Kumar Singh said the four-storey (G+3) buildings will be constructed at identified sites where around one to one-and-a-half acres of land is available. The Building Construction Department will undertake the construction after technical approval.
Madhubani and Samastipur will each have two examination buildings.
Existing Facilities In Nine Districts
BSEB has already constructed examination buildings-cum-regional offices in nine districts that serve as divisional headquarters.
These facilities are being used as online examination centres, venues for free non-residential coaching and regional offices of the Board. The new buildings will extend similar infrastructure to other districts.
Districts Covered By The Project
The proposed buildings will come up in Rohtas, Kaimur, Nalanda, Bhojpur and Buxar; Nawada, Aurangabad and Jehanabad; West Champaran, East Champaran, Sitamarhi and Vaishali; and Siwan and Gopalganj.
The project also covers Madhepura, Supaul, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Begusarai, Jamui, Khagaria, Banka, Kishanganj, Araria, Katihar, Madhubani and Samastipur.
Aim To Reduce Disruption To Academic Activities
Competitive examinations conducted by agencies including the Bihar Public Service Commission, Bihar Staff Selection Commission, Bihar Technical Service Commission and Bihar Police Subordinate Services Commission are currently held in schools and colleges.
Officials said dedicated examination centres will reduce dependence on educational institutions and help schools and colleges conduct regular classes and internal examinations without disruption.
Each Centre To Accommodate 4,000 Candidates
Each new facility will have the capacity to accommodate around 4,000 examinees simultaneously. CCTV surveillance will cover the premises during examinations, while secure storage will be provided for answer sheets and other examination material.
The buildings can also be used as evaluation centres. Facilities for processes such as answer-sheet barcoding and scanning may also be available when required.
Strongrooms And Election-Related Use
The attached strongrooms will provide secure storage for confidential examination material, according to the Development Commissioner.
The facilities can also be used to store sensitive election-related material when required, potentially reducing the use of schools and colleges for such purposes.
CCTV And Fire Safety Systems
The buildings will have 24-hour CCTV surveillance and recording facilities, along with fire alarms, firefighting equipment and disaster-management systems.
The location of dedicated examination centres near district headquarters is also intended to reduce travel-related difficulties for candidates.
Management To Be Handed Over To Institutions
After construction, the examination centre-cum-strongroom will be handed over to the respective school or college on whose premises it is built.
The revenue generated through the facility will be shared between BSEB and the concerned institution. Schools and colleges will also be able to use the buildings for their own examinations and other academic requirements.
