Multiple question paper sets for upcoming HS Sem III exams

Kolkata: In a move to curb unfair practices, the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) will introduce five sets of question papers for each subject in the upcoming HS Semester III exams, scheduled from September 8 to 22.

The Semester III exams will follow a Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) format, with answers to be marked on OMR sheets. To avoid duplication of question sets among nearby students, question papers will be distributed in an ‘S’-shaped or criss-cross pattern, with a maximum of two examinees per bench, as per the Council’s guidelines.

To ensure that no two nearby candidates receive the same set, question papers and OMR sheets must be distributed to all candidates, including those absent, in accordance with the set-wise seating pattern. In case of absence, the question paper must be left on the candidate’s bench and later collected by the invigilators.

“The entire exam is MCQ-based. To ensure no two adjacent candidates receive the same paper, we’re introducing multiple question sets, similar to competitive exams like NEET-UG or JEE,” said WBCHSE president Chiranjib Bhattacharya. On Wednesday, the Council conducted a pre-exam preparation meeting in Kolkata with examination-related officials. Detailed instructions regarding the new question paper distribution system and other protocols for the conduct of the examination were conveyed during the session. Meanwhile, for the first time, WBCHSE will implement a real-time digital attendance system, the Day-Wise Absentee cum Attendance Records (DWAAR), to track examinee attendance daily across all centres.

Under this system, venue supervisors must log in using their existing school credentials and mark each student as either “Absent (AB)” or “Reported Absent (RA)”, with RA requiring a reason selected from a dropdown list. Candidates not marked as AB or RA will be automatically considered present. Attendance data must be submitted by 2 pm each examination day.

Despite this digital system, the Council has clarified that submission of the traditional hard copy Attendance Sheet Register (ASR), maintained by invigilators, remains mandatory.