Patna: Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) on Sunday announced that the 2018 Intermediate examination will be held from February 6 to 18. The practical exams will be held from January 11 to 25.

But there will be no home centre for the practical examinations unlike previous years.

The board took the decision to avoid a repeat of the 2017 episode when the practical knowledge of Intermediate arts topper Ganesh Kumar alias Ganesh Ram in the music paper was found to be "doubtful". Ganesh, whose result was later cancelled, had secured 65 out of 70 marks in the music practical and only 18 in theory.

Ganesh had studied in Ram Nandan Singh Jagdeep Narayan Higher Secondary School in Samastipur, topped the arts stream securing 82.6 per cent marks. Later, BSEB chief Anand Kishor and other officials quizzed Ganesh. He was arrested and a forgery case was lodged against him.

Taking lesson from the 2017 experience, the board has decided to abolish the practice of having home centre for practical examinations. BSEB chairman Anand Kishor said: "The district magistrate of the district concerned will decide the venue of the practical examination. The external examiner will be the teacher of centre concerned, while internal examiner will be the teacher from where students appear for the test."

BSEB has ordered the centre superintendents holding practical examination to submit the marksheets, answerbooks and attendance register of students in a sealed envelope to their respective district education officer by February 5.