Acting vice-chancellor of Patna University UK Sinha visits the examination centre at Patna Science College on Monday. Picture by Jai Prakash

The BA, BSc and BCom Part-III honours examinations of Patna University started on Monday amid tight invigilation with the varsity administration reintroducing videography of the entire process.

Most students, who appeared for the third-year examinations, said the university exercised stricter vigil compared to previous years. The authorities also frisked students at the entrance gate of the examination hall.

Mohammed Wasim, a final-year physics honours student of Patna Science College, who took the examination at Patna College, said: “Compared to previous years, the university administration was very strict this year. We were frisked at the entrance of the examination centre.”

The invigilator was so strict that only one student from a classroom was allowed to go to the washroom after submitting his or her admit card, he said. “We were asked to submit our cellphones and other electronic gadgets to the invigilator,” added Wasim.

Patna University acting vice-chancellor Upendra Kishore Sinha said: “Any student found using unfair means would be expelled for three years. In serious cases, a complaint would be lodged with the police.”

Sinha added that the university decided to video shoot the entire examination process after a gap of almost four years. Former Patna University vice-chancellor Y.C. Simhadri between November 2006 and January 2008 had initiated videography of students appearing for the examinations. The process lost steam because of lack of interest of the university administration.

“The idea behind reintroducing videography was to create an atmosphere and feeling among students that if they indulge in unfair means during examination, they will be caught,” said Sinha. For each college under Patna University, one person has been deputed for the videography.

In another attempt to check unfair means, the university deployed only regular teachers for the invigilation and not research scholars, as was the practice earlier. PU has set the invigilator-student ratio at 1:25. The Part-II honours examinations would commence on April 15.