Bhubaneswar, February 19 The Class 10 final exams of the Odisha board began on Thursday, with over 5.61 lakh students appearing for it, officials said.
The High School Certificate (HSC), Madhyama, and Open School Certificate exams, conducted by the Board of Secondary Education (BSE), will continue until March 2, they said.
The exams, which started at 9 am and ended at 11:30 am, were being conducted at 3,082 centers amid tight security arrangements, they added.
On the first day, students appeared for the Modern Indian Language (Odia) paper.
Students were allowed to carry their admit cards, pens, pencils, and geometry boxes, officials said, adding that no other items were permitted at the exam centers.
Invigilators and other teachers deployed for the examination have been prohibited from using their mobile phones, they said.
To prevent malpractice, a three-tier system has been developed, and special vigilance teams have been deployed to conduct surprise visits to exam centers, they said.
The examination halls are also being monitored centrally using AI-enabled CCTV cameras from the control room set up at BSE's office in Cuttack.
QR codes and watermarks have been introduced in the question papers as an additional security measure, officials said.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi wished the students appearing in the examination.
"Remember, this is not merely your academic evaluation, but rather a true measure of your patience, perseverance, and self-confidence," Majhi said in a post on X.
"Do not let any kind of mental pressure overwhelm you; proceed to the examination center with a positive mindset and firm determination -- because a calm mind and unwavering confidence are the true mantras for excellent performance," he advised the students.
