HS exams: Malda district admin forms 2 task force teams for vigil on test venues

malda/jalpaiguri: Malda district administration has set up two task force teams for two subdivisions of the district for vigilance on Higher Secondary examination venues.

In the Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts, the Forest department has stepped up vigil to ensure that the examinees do not face threats from wild animals. The HS exams will commence on March 14.

In Malda, the task force teams consist of deputy magistrates, the education department and police officials.

Nitin Singhania, District Magistrate, Malda, said: “The task force will conduct surprise visits to HS examination venues. One team will work in the Chanchal and the other in the Sadar subdivision areas for smooth conduct of exams throughout Malda.”

About 45,580 candidates are appearing for the HS exams in Malda, including 27,171 female and 18,409 male candidates. A total of 127 venues have been set up for the examination under 17 centres. Among these, 51 venues have been marked as sensitive based on records and the unavailability of security measures like boundary walls.

Dr Pradeep Kumar Yadav, Superintendent of Police Malda, said: “There will be frequent vigilance of police mobile units in the sensitive venues.”

After the tragic death of Arjun Das, a Madhyamik examinee, who was trampled to death by a wild elephant, the forest department has beefed up the vigil for HS examinations.

The two districts of North Bengal, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri, have wildlife divisions like Buxa Tiger Reserve, Jaldapara, Gorumara and Baikunthapur which contain multiple forest settlements.

Vehicles of the Forest Department ‘Airabat’ will be used to transport Higher Secondary examinees from the forest villages and areas adjacent to forests to exam centres and back. Several forest paths adjacent to forest areas in these two districts, especially elephant corridors, have been identified and closed with drop gates during the exams.

“We are hopeful that with the combined efforts of the district administration and the forest department, the higher secondary examinees will be able to take the examination without fear. The forest department and the district administration have arranged a sufficient number of departmental vehicles for the transportation of the examinees,” stated Parveen Kaswan, Deputy Field Director, Buxa Tiger Reserve (West). Nabajit Dey, A.D.F.O, Jaldapara wildlife division stated that six forest paths are being closed in Jaldapara National Park during the higher secondary examination due to security issues.

“The forest workers are conducting awareness campaigns. Shortcut pathways through the forest have been closed by drop-gates,” added the ADFO. Even the NGOs working on ground zero have been roped in to spread awareness and keep a vigil.

The total number of HS candidates in the Alipurduar district is 17687.