Bhubaneswar, Feb 10: The much-awaited Matriculation examinations in Odisha are set to begin on the 19th of February. In preparation for the exams, 322 nodal centers have been established across 30 districts of the state to manage the distribution of question papers, OMR sheets, and other examination materials.
Sources said that question papers will be dispatched to centers in five districts - Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Koraput, and others today. Strict security measures, including armed police assistance, will be in place to ensure the safe delivery of materials. These nodal centers will also be monitored with 24-hour police surveillance, and closed-circuit cameras have been installed, as confirmed by the Board Chairman, Mr. Srikant Tarai.
It is expected that question papers will reach all the nodal centers across the state by Feb 16. To ensure the security of the examination process, additional precautions have been set up, especially in sensitive areas like Kandhamal and Malkangiri.
For the remaining districts, adequate security measures have been arranged at the block level, with schools selected as nodal centers for the distribution of examination papers.
This year, a total of 5,46,582 students are registered for the Matriculation exams, along with 12,414 candidates for the State Open School Certificate (SOSC) exams and 2,748 candidates for the Madhyama exams.
In total, 3,082 centers, including Matriculation, Nodal, SOSC, and Madhyama centers, will be under tight surveillance, with live-streaming arrangements set up using closed-circuit cameras. The Odisha Board has also conducted video conferences with District Education Officers (DEOs) to ensure smooth operations during the exams, which are scheduled to run from February 19th to March 2nd, to avoid any disruptions.
