Malda, Feb. 18: Xerox centres will have to shut shop for four hours when the Madhyamik examination is on.

The decision was taken by the district administration today at a meeting to review the arrangements for the examinations, beginning March 3.

All photocopy centres in the district will remain closed between 12 noon and 4 pm on days the examinations will be held. The authorities have also banned playing of loudspeakers during this period.

The meeting, which was presided over by Malda additional district magistrate Phani Sarkar, also decided to debar candidates from entering the examinations centres with cellular phones.

“The district was not part of the mobile coverage area last year. This year the cellular service is available in Malda. That’s why, we are giving a serious thought to prevent any untoward incident,” said subdivisional officer (SDO) Sameer Bhattacharjee.

The authorities have asked the state-run North Bengal State Transport Corporation and private mini-bus owners to arrange for an additional fleet of vehicles, which will carry transport candidates to 13 examination centres within the town.

The SDO said additional buses would ply on 22 routes on all examinations days.

Besides, special care is being taken to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

Senior state electricity board engineers, who were present at today’s meeting, were asked to remain “extra cautious during the exams”.

“I have asked the district police administration to ensure no one travels on the roof of the vehicles,” said Nemai Biswas, vice-president, Malda District Bus and Mini-bus Owners’ Association. “In the past, accidents have occurred because students were travelling on the rooftop,” Biswas added.

Altogether, 16,406 candidates will appear from the district in the secondary examinations this year, more than 1,155 in 2002.