CBSE examinees discuss their English paper outside an exam centre in Patna on Thursday. Picture by Jai Prakash

Patna, March 1: Short and easy — that’s what most students taking the CBSE Class XII examinations felt today after the English paper.

Some of the examinees were nervous before stepping into their examination centres on the first day. The test started at 10.30am but students had to take their seats by 10am.

When the students emerged from the exam halls at 1.30pm, they were all smiles.

“The paper was not at all lengthy. The three hours provided to answer the questions were more than enough. I finished writing the paper in two-and-a-half hours,” said Ashish Kumar, a student of Loyola High School, who took the exam at DAV, BSEB.

His classmate Nikhil Raj was of the same opinion. Nikhil finished writing the paper 20 minutes before time.

“It was easy beyond imagination. I was a little nervous before getting the question papers. But when I read it, I found that none of the questions were difficult at all,” he said.

Shubham Kumar, a student of Patna Central School, who also took the examination at DAV, BSEB, said: “The final paper was easier than my pre-board examination.”

Other students claimed that the question paper had no surprise element and was exactly as they had expected it.

“The paper was exactly of the pattern we had been taught in school. Since our teachers explained us the concepts very well, we did not find it hard at all,” said Ankur Sinha of Loyola High School.

Rajiv Ranjan Sinha, CBSE co-ordinator, Patna, told The Telegraph: “There are 22 examination centres for Class XII in Patna district. The exams were conducted peacefully at all the centres. Students found the English paper easy.”

Not all students, however, had a smooth sail. A few thought the paper was lengthy.

Swapnil Snehi, a student of Loyola High School, said she found the paper very easy but lengthy. “We had to write long and elaborate answers for all the questions, especially report and article writing,” he said.

Nisha Rani of Patna Central School said she could have done better. “I found a few questions a little difficult. Though my paper was not bad, I could have done better,” she said.

CBSE Class X board- and school-based summative examinations also started today. Most of those who have chosen the board-based exam stayed at home, as the subject today was painting. Those who have opted for the school-based module took different subject exams at their respective institutions.