Patna: The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) has strengthened its examination system with the development of the Bapu Pariksha Parishar in Kumhrar, Patna, a modern centre designed to conduct large-scale exams smoothly and securely. According to the board, a total of 11,384 students can appear for examinations at the same time in this complex. The centre has been planned to support both traditional offline exams and computer-based online exams, helping the board manage growing numbers of candidates and reduce pressure on existing centres.
The complex is divided into three blocks. Blocks A and B currently host offline examinations and together can accommodate around 8,500 candidates. Block C has a seating capacity of 3,000 and is fully equipped for online examinations. Officials said Block C is flexible enough to allow online and offline exams to be conducted at the same desk if needed. In the coming months, Blocks A and B will also be upgraded to function in a hybrid mode, allowing both types of exams to be held there as well.
Security arrangements at the complex are extensive. All examination halls and common areas are monitored through an integrated command and control centre connected to 944 CCTV cameras. Mobile jammers have been installed to prevent cheating using electronic devices. Candidates and staff are checked with hand-held metal detectors, door-frame detectors and bag scanners before entering the halls. A dedicated police force of 28 men and 28 women is deployed at the centre, ensuring tight security throughout examination days.
The complex has also been designed with student convenience in mind. There are 24 escalators across the three blocks, nine large lifts, toilets on every floor and purified drinking water provided through RO systems. Wheelchairs are available on each floor to assist differently-abled candidates, and a dedicated electric substation ensures uninterrupted power supply. The board said that similar high-tech examination centres have been set up across all divisions of Bihar, where more than 24 lakh students have already taken online examinations since September.
To solve parking and traffic issues around the complex, the Bihar Board has planned a multi-level parking facility near Dhanuki Mor, close to the examination centre. Spread over around 25,000 square feet, the parking structure will be built at a cost of Rs 38.60 crore by the Building Construction Department. It will include a basement, ground floor and three additional floors, allowing cars and two-wheelers to be parked at the same time. Fire safety systems with sensors will also be installed. Until the parking building is completed, the land will be used as a temporary parking space.
A foot overbridge will also be constructed to connect the parking facility directly to the Bapu Examination Complex. Built by the Road Construction Department at an estimated cost of Rs 4.46 crore, the bridge is expected to be completed within six months after the agency is selected. Officials said this will help examinees and their guardians cross the busy road safely and reach the centre without difficulty.
Adding a symbolic element, a tower inside the complex displays the seven social sins listed by Mahatma Gandhi, including politics without principle and knowledge without character. Along with a large clock visible from all sides, the inscriptions are meant to remind students and visitors of the importance of ethics and values, even in a highly modern and technology-driven examination environment.
