Patna, Feb. 20: Confusion over the date of issuing matriculation board exam admit cards today triggered chaos at Narayani Girls’ High School at Patna City. Over a hundred students, most of them on fast on the occasion of Maha Shivratri, set desks and benches on fire on Ashok Rajpath before staging a road blockade.

The traffic came to a grinding halt as soon as the students took to the streets. The formal one-hour-long road blockade started around 12.20pm. Within a few minutes, there was bumper-to-bumper traffic on the road.

Chaos and cacophony ruled the street for over an hour. The students screamed on top of their voice demanding admit cards. The impatient motorists honked relentlessly to move on.

But neither succeeded. The students had to return without admit cards. The motorists were stuck till the blockade was lifted after the interference of Chowk police station personnel.

Sources said more than a hundred students had gathered on Narayani Girls’ High School premises in the morning to collect the admit cards of the matriculation exam scheduled to start on Wednesday, as the board had issued an advertisement in dailies stating that distribution of admit cards would start on Monday. But the girls’ school authorities asked the students to come on Tuesday because most of the teachers and employees were absent because of Maha Shivratri.

The admit card denial sparked the spontaneous protest of students. They staged a demonstration in front of the school, damaging its property. The sources said the irked students ransacked desks and benches. Later, some students set a few desks and benches on fire on the middle of Ashok Rajpath, stalling traffic movement.

A student of the school, said: “Every hour is precious before the board exam. But the school authorities told us to come again on Tuesday to collect the admit cards as many employees and teachers were absent. They also claimed that the board had not issued the admit cards to the school.”

In sharp contrast, Bihar School Examination Board secretary Lalan Jha said: “The board has sent the students’ admit cards to the respective schools. If the school authorities are delaying their distribution, it is their responsibility.”

Repeated attempts to contact Narayani Girls’ High School principal Lalee Devi proved futile.

Board ready

The countdown for the Class X board examination conducted by Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) has begun. Starting on Wednesday, the exam will continue till February 28.

This year, around 12.6 lakh students would take the Class X board examination. There will be 1,738 exam centres across the state. Students would take the exam at 97 centres in the city.

Jha said: “On the first day, the students will answer the English paper.”

The examination will commence from 9.45am and continue till 1pm.

Jha claimed that the board had made all necessary arrangements for free and fair examination. The board would deal strictly with students indulging in foul practices. Apart from admit cards, the attendance register to be filled in by students would have the photographs of the candidates.