Kolkata: The Part-II examinations of the Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) programme for the 2023-2025 session began on Tuesday under heightened security to protect the integrity of the process and prevent question paper leaks.
Over 33,000 candidates are appearing for the tests, which are being conducted at 120 centres and will continue till August 14.This year, the West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE) has overhauled its question paper handling system. Instead of dispatching all subjects together in a single container, each day’s paper is being sent in separate trunks for each centre. These trunks are fitted with two digital combination locks, the codes for which are shared with the officer-in-charge only 30 minutes before the examination begins. “Every trunk has two combination locks. The exam starts at noon and at 11.30 am we share the codes with the officer-in-charge,” WBBPE president Gautam Pal said.
Further safeguards have been built into the papers themselves. The first and last pages are left blank and joined together to form a seal that only the candidate can break, revealing the contents inside.
Security arrangements at the venues mirror those used in the Primary Teacher Eligibility Test, with frisking using handheld metal detectors, biometric attendance, and CCTV surveillance in operation.
In addition, each question paper carries a QR code containing embedded details such as the examination centre, district, and a unique identification number. Officials said this will enable the Board to trace any leaked paper back to its source with precision. The same security measures will be implemented for the Part-I theoretical examinations for the 2024-2026 batch, scheduled from August 18 to 22.
Separately, the WBBPE has released a list of 581 D.El.Ed institutions granted affiliation for the academic years up to 2024-2025. Of the 657 colleges under the Board, 76, mostly private, are yet to secure affiliation. “Some institutions have not submitted the required documents. The list will be updated as more qualify. Colleges that have not yet secured affiliation may admit students only if they meet the requirements promptly. Failure to do so could result in de-affiliation next year,” Pal said.