Bhubaneswar, March 2: Plus two theory examinations for science stream under the Council of Higher Secondary Examinations commenced today amid tight security.

Exams for arts will begin tomorrow and commerce the day after.

Exams for vocational will begin on March 18

Altogether 3,72,000 students appeared in the exam at 1,092 centres across the state. The examination began at 10am and continued till 1pm.

The exam started with the English paper.

The question papers were kept in 203 heavily guarded centres.

These were brought to the examination centres today amid tight security and were opened in the presence of a senior administrative police and education officials.

After the exam was over, the answersheets were collected, sealed and deposited in the centres, which have been put under CCTV surveillance.

Five-tier squads formed by the council paid surprise visits to various examination centres to monitor the exams. CHSE chairman Basudev Chattoi, too, paid a personal visit to a few centres to oversee the process and expressed his satisfaction over the new system put in place.

Executive magistrates have been made in-charge of the overall supervision of the examinations in each district, council chairman Basudev Chhatoi said.

"The examinations have passed off peacefully with no reports of any untoward incident. I have come to the BJB College with my squad and will tour the remaining districts during the examinations. I hope that the examinations would will pass off smoothly," said Chhatoi,

He said that a few students reached with court orders to appear in the examinations yesterday and were allowed today. "Though it was difficult for us, we have done it on humanitarian grounds," he said.

At least 26 students were caught for malpractice, said the official.

Meanwhile, the annual Class X and Class XII examinations conducted by the CBSE began today. Altogether, 58,800 students from Class X and 48,800 from Class XII are taking the exam in Bhubaneswar.

While the Class X exams will end on March 26, the Class XII exams will end on March 20. More than 10.4 lakh Class XII students and 13.73 lakh Class X students are taking the exam across the country.