Over 5.6 lakh students appear for Matric Exam as BSE Odisha ensures tight security

Bhubaneswar (By Abhishek Mohanty): 
The annual Matric Examination conducted by the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) commenced on Thursday across Odisha, with as many as 5,61,979 students appearing at 3,082 centres statewide.

The examination began at 9 am amid elaborate arrangements by the Board and the School and Mass Education Department to ensure its smooth and orderly conduct. Authorities confirmed that question papers were dispatched from nodal centres and delivered to examination venues on time. 

As per guidelines, sealed packets were opened in the presence of the centre superintendent and students.

The examination is being held from 9 am to 11:30 am. Officials and staff engaged in examination duties have been barred from using mobile phones.

To prevent malpractice, a three-tier squad system has been deployed. Special vigilance teams are conducting inspections at centres across the state.

As an added security measure, QR codes and watermark systems have been incorporated into the question papers.

Superintendents have been  instructed to submit daily reports to the Board after the conclusion of each examination.

A central command and control room has been set up at the Board headquarters in Cuttack, where authorities are maintaining round-the-clock surveillance of examination and nodal centres. 

AI-enabled CCTV cameras are monitoring activities, including the opening of question paper packets and movements inside examination halls.

On the first day, students appeared for the MIL (Odia) paper. 

The Matriculation Examination will continue until March 2.