File picture of students appearing for Plus Two examination

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 28: The Council of Higher Secondary Education has been directed by the higher education department to take immediate action on media reports about plans of possible Plus Two question paper leakage.

The Plus Two exams are scheduled to start from March 3.

The directive came after publication of news report that a few self-financing colleges were attempting to tie up with the government colleges in interior districts to get access to question papers.

Last year, the Plus Two examinations were rescheduled after leak out of question papers in some subjects.

The source of leak out was traced to a few private self-financing colleges.

This time students of 229 self-financing colleges have been tagged to the nearest government colleges for the exam.

According to the information reaching the council, the colleges had entered into an agreement that when students travel to their designated examination centres, a person would call up an official at the government college to find out the questions.

Then the questions would be read out and an expert in the subject concerned present in the vehicles would help the students in getting the answers quickly.

Since most of the questions will be short answer types, it will be easier for the students to remember.

Council chairman Basudev Chhatoi said all steps were being taken to ensure fair exams.

Providing the updates, he said that all the 205 examination hubs have received the question papers this morning. For smooth management and security of question papers, all the examination hubs have been put under CCTV surveillance.

“Adequate security arrangements have been made at the strong rooms where question papers will be stored. We have involved the district administrations and police to ensure question papers are kept under tight security. So, there is no chance of any breach,” Chattoi said

Theory questions would be dispatched to the examination centres from the examination hubs on the day of the exam.

All colleges have been asked to install close circuit television (CCTV) cameras and record the proceedings. The colleges have been asked to provide the video footage of the examinations along with answer sheets.

The council has constituted a three-tier squad to check malpractices. The authorities had drawn flak last year after the leakage of Plus Two question papers in some private colleges of the state.

Over 3.24 lakh students are appearing for the annual Plus Two examination in science, commerce, arts and vocational streams through both regular and distance mode in over 1,300 examination centres.