Bhubaneswar: The Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE), Odisha, has put restrictions on the use of mobile phones by officials at the examination centres during the upcoming Intermediate (Plus II) examinations in state.
The CHSE decision to ban mobile phones for the officials of examination centres came in the wake of allegations of question paper leak during last year’s High School Certificate (HSC) examinations and this year’s Odisha Teachers Eligibility Test (OTET).
As per the new guidelines, no official and employee of examination centres, except the superintendents, would use mobile phones and any other electronic gadgets during the Plus II examinations. “No official or staffer would be allowed to carry mobile phones and other electronic gadgets into the premises of examination centres. Even, members of the flying squads and examination observers have been barred from carrying mobile phones into the examination centres,” said a CHSE official.
According to an official, the employees of any particular examination centre would deposit their mobile phones and other electronic gadgets at a separate room that has been identified by the superintendent. Teachers and employees of examination centres cannot keep any electronic gadget with them while collecting question papers for the examinations, he said.
“The examinees would be thoroughly checked at the entrance of the examination centres to prevent them from carrying any unauthorised items to the examination halls. The superintendents should take effective steps to prevent any gathering of parents and guardians outside examination centres. They can seek assistance from the police in this regard,” added the official.
CHSE sources claimed that they have asked the centre superintendents to arrange drinking water and toilet facilities for the examinees.
Around 3.66 lakh students would appear in the Plus II examinations at 1,091 designated examination centres across the state starting March 7. The CHSE has set up 202 hubs for smooth conduct of the examinations.
