Invigilators not to carry cellphones in exam hall
Tribune News Service
Faridkot, February 26
To ensure that no invigilator and staff help students cheat during Class X and XII board examinations, the School Education Department has directed them not to bring their mobile phones in the examination hall.
They have to deposit their mobile phones with the superintendent of the exam centre before entering the hall.
Class XII examinations are starting from February 28 and, Class X, from March 16.
The department has also directed the clerical and Class IV staff (auxiliary staff) not to leave the examination centre. The exception will be made in urgent matters. The department has asked the authorities not to summon the auxiliary staff outside the examination centre during the exam.
Sources said several teachers helped students cheat during examinations. Last week, the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) had issued instructions not to assign exam duty to class teachers and subject teachers.
“As there are chances of the auxiliary staff leaking the question paper and facilitating help from ‘outsiders’, the board has restricted their movement,” said PSEB chairman Balbir Singh Dhol.
“Mobile phones can be used to look up answers on the internet. So, carrying mobile phones or any other communication device has been prohibited,” he said.
To check paper leak, the PSEB had earlier decided to keep question papers in strong rooms of banks near the examination centres. The bank would release the question papers an hour before the examination. These would be handed over to the superintendent of the exam centre 30 minutes before the examination.
As per a letter by the PSEB secretary to all District Education Officers (Secondary) today, there would be no frisking of students by way of removing their shoes and socks during the examination.
The decision was taken after some girls complained that they were forced to remove their shoes and socks in the examination hall “with the motive to harass” them, sources said.
