Kolkata: The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) has made the installation of CCTV cameras at the entrances and confidential rooms of the examination centres mandatory under the standard operating procedure of the Higher Secondary (HS) examinations 2026 to be held from February 12 to 27.
According to the guidelines, the venue supervisors have ensured that cameras were mounted at the entrance as well as the confidential room in all the centres, also preserving the footage till April 30.
The SOPs also mandate frisking of examinees at entry points with metal detectors by teaching and non-teaching staff in the presence of police personnel. Police will intervene only in cases of disorder.
The doors of the examination hall will open one hour before the examination and close at the start. In emergency situations, entry may be relaxed till 10.30 am for Semester IV and HS examinations under the old system, and till 1.30 pm for the Semester III supplementary examination, but no extra time will be given.
The council has prohibited mobile phones and all electronic gadgets inside the venue. Candidates found with such devices or involved in physical assault on examination personnel will have their examinations and enrolment cancelled. Examinees may carry only analogue watches. Calculators will be allowed only for candidates appearing under the old annual system. Examinees for Semester IV and HS examinations under the old system must report by 9 am, while those appearing for the Semester III supplementary examination must report by 12.30 pm. Answer scripts or OMR sheets will be distributed at 10 am and 12.50 pm respectively.
Question papers will be distributed at 9.50 am for Semester IV, 10 am for the annual system HS examination, and 1 pm for the supplementary examination.