Patna: More than 1.3 million students across Bihar will sit the state’s Intermediate annual examinations next month under heightened security measures, with authorities announcing early gate closures, multiple frisking stages and a complete ban on electronic devices to curb malpractice.
The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) said the exams will be held from February 2 to 13 at 1,762 centres statewide. Chairperson Anand Kishor said candidates must arrive well in advance, as entry gates will shut 30 minutes before the start of each shift, with no late admissions permitted under any circumstances.
Students will undergo two levels of checks first at the entrance and again inside examination halls, where invigilators will screen one in every 25 candidates. Mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, smartwatches, pagers and other electronic gadgets are strictly prohibited. Anyone found carrying such items risks being barred from the exam and facing disciplinary action.
In a move designed to prevent copying, the board will issue question papers in 10 different sets, each containing the same questions but arranged in varying sequences. Adjacent candidates will receive different sets, reducing the likelihood of collusion during the test.
A total of 1,317,846 candidates have been issued admit cards, including 675,844 girls and 642,002 boys. Exams will run in two daily shifts. Entry for the morning session begins at 8:30 am, with gates closing at 9:00 am ahead of a 9:30 am start. For the afternoon session, entry opens at 1:00 pm, gates close at 1:30 pm, and the paper begins at 2:00 pm
Security around centres has also been tightened, with CCTV surveillance and videography made mandatory. Authorities have imposed restrictions on gatherings within a 200-metre radius under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and district-level nodal officers have been deployed to oversee operations.
Officials urged students to plan travel carefully to avoid congestion and to carry required documents. Violations of exam rules, including attempts at unfair means, could lead to disqualification from board examinations for up to two years. A 24-hour control room, operational from 1 February, has been set up to assist students and parents with queries and emergencies.
