According to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), like most competitive exams, a late entry into class X and class XII board examination will be “completely barred.” This will be like other exams- Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) or Common Admission Test (CAT). This measure will be effective from next year wherein all candidates will be mandated to be seated by 10:15 a.m.
It is important that examinees do a complete recce of their centers, gauge the traffic density for the day, and as a precautionary measure start early enough so that they do not end up missing their exam.
In an effort to make exams more secured, as MHRD sources say, this measure along with others like encrypted question papers are being field tested.
As for the current setup, students were reported to be coming in as late as 11:15 am. The board exams until March-April 2018 were scheduled to start official entry time 9:30 am, distribution of papers at 10:15 am, followed by 15 minutes for reading. The exam would start at 10:30 but students were allowed ‘late entry’ at 11 am by their respective exam center heads and in extreme cases, an ‘emergency entry’ till 11:15 am.
“Exams like JEE or NEET and even CAT are secured for a number of reasons and one of them is strict entry timings. No student is allowed beyond the stipulated timing,” said one of the ministry sources. This step along with others will help streamline the efforts to better the exam taking process which ultimately aims to reduce the possibility of a paper leak.
The implementation of this programme is going to be strict as well, told a senior ministry official. CBSE will be issuing a circular that will mandate strict compliance with these entry timings and increase the accountability of officials in charge.