File picture of a matriculation exam centre in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 27: Sample booklets of the question paper-cum-answer sheet, introduced for the forthcoming matriculation exams, would be dispatched to high schools across the state next month to familiarise students with the new format.

The Board of Secondary Education (BSE) has already prepared the sample booklet for English.

“We will complete two other subjects by this evening. We hope to upload the samples on our website by December 3. We are also aware of Internet connectivity problems in remote areas and will send the booklets to all schools across Odisha so that matriculation candidates get a fair idea about the word limit and space for answers,” said BSE president Dakhya Prasad Nanda.

The BSE website is www.bseorissa.in.

According to the new format, candidates would be required to write answers within a specified space on the question paper itself. The blank space will be ruled. An additional 20 per cent space would be provided for each individual question and two extra blank pages would be attached after the last page to allow students to rewrite answers. Students, however, are jittery about space constraints.

“My handwriting is big and cursive. So, compared to others, I generally require more space to write. Though I have been practicing writing on ruled paper, I am very nervous,” said Subhadra Swain, a student of a Bhubaneswar-based high school.

“A student has to answer questions within a specified time frame and now, within a limited space. The board authorities must take care to reduce exam stress for candidates. However, with these new rules, that too just a few months before the exams, they are adding to the stress,” said Rashmi Ranjan Sahu, a parent. School and mass education minister, Rabi Narayan Nanda said the new format would not create any confusion, but help students.

“They need not worry about the new format as we have taken very simple steps to design it,” he said.

Board officials said candidates would also be able to download questions of the different papers from the website after two hours of the completion of exam in a particular subject. They will get 15 minutes instead of 10 to go through the questions and clarify doubts with the centre invigilators. A helpline is likely to be launched soon for students to seek expert guidance regarding the exams, which are scheduled to begin from February 20.