Twenty-four impersonators were arrested on Wednesday when they were trying to appear on behalf of other candidates during the matriculation examination, which got underway on Wednesday.

While 14 impersonators were arrested from different examination centres in Nalanda, the remaining 10 were nabbed in Nawada.

A total of 17,63,423 students are appearing for this year's matriculation examination, which is conducted by the Bihar School Examination Board, out of which, 8,97,168 are boys and the remaining 8,66,255 are girls.

A BSEB official said information reaching the board suggested that at least 28 of the examinees were expelled for using unfair means during the examination.

"Reports from districts suggested that Patna witnessed the highest number of expulsions where five students were found using unfair means," added the official.

On Wednesday, students appeared for the English examination, which was conducted in two sittings (9.30am to 12.45pm and 2pm to 5.15pm). The examination would continue till March 8 with March 5 (Sunday) being the only gap.

A total of 1,532 examination centres have been set up where 70,536 invigilators have been deputed to conduct the examination.

BSEB chairman Anand Kishor was monitoring the situation and he visited at least four examination centres in Patna to assess the arrangements having been made to ensure fair conduct of examination.

Patna district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, too, visited some of the centres to assess the arrangements and he also encouraged the students to do well in the examination.

Commenting on the arrangements having been made at the centres, Baby Devi, a resident of Anisabad in Patna, whose daughter Puja Kumari was appearing at the Bankipore Girls' High School centre, said: "I am satisfied with the arrangements been made here but BSEB officials should ensure that fair examination is conducted in the districts as well."

Pushpa Kumar, an examinee who was appearing at the same centre, said women constables frisked her before entering the examination hall and the arrangements had been made properly.

Piyush Pandey, who had come from Barh to take the test at the Miller School centre in Patna, said invigilators were particular during the examination and they were not allowing the candidates to take anything other than the required documents and pen inside the examination centres.