The West Bengal Higher Secondary (HS) semester examination has once again come under the spotlight after errors were reported in the Biology first-semester paper. During Monday’s exam, students identified two incorrect questions, sparking concern among examinees and their guardians. Following complaints, the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) announced that all candidates attempting the erroneous questions would be awarded full marks, ensuring that students are not penalized.
The HS examinations, held in a semester-based format for the first time, began ahead of Durga Puja in 2025. Strict measures were taken to ensure smooth conduct, with WBCHSE President Chiranjeev Bhattacharya warning that any form of harassment or misconduct during exams would not be tolerated.
Despite these precautions, students earlier faced difficulties in the Mathematics exam last Friday. Many reported that although the paper was straightforward, the lengthy questions and limited OMR space for calculations made it difficult to complete within the allotted 1 hour 15 minutes. This was also the first time the HS exams used OMR sheets, adding to the pressure on candidates.
Meanwhile, the WBCHSE has confirmed that the results of the first-semester exams will be released by October 31, 2025. The second semester is scheduled for February 2026, and the final rankings and grades will be determined based on the combined performance across both semesters.
An estimated 6.6 lakh candidates, 56.03 per cent of them girls, wrote the exams in a new format - using OMR sheets. This is the first semester-based exam for class 12 students in the state.
“Over 38 lakh OMR sheets are being scanned. The publication of results might be delayed as there will be festival holidays in the next one month. But we are confident of publishing it by October 31,” Council President Chiranjib Bhattacharya said.
As per the grading system, students scoring 90–100 marks will receive a Distinction, while those between 70–89 marks will earn an A+ grade. Marks between 60–69 will secure an A grade or first division, 50–59 will be classified as B grade or second division, and 34–49 will fall under the C grade or third division. Candidates scoring 35 and below will be marked under the D or improvement category.