CBSE ensures complete secrecy

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">CHANDIGARH: Stung by the answer sheet scam of 2003, the Chandigarh regional office of CBSE has now put in place a new strategy to ensure complete secrecy of answer books in the intervening period between the end of the examination and the beginning of evaluation process. <br /><br />Speed in executing the various functions including assigning of fictitious roll numbers and doing away with the need for storing of answer sheets are the key elements of the new strategy.<br /><br />The Board this year has decided to change the venue of its secrecy centre, a practice to be followed every year here on. The secrecy team, comprised of senior staff from education institutions, too will be changed each year. <br /><br />The secrecy centre is the place for fixing the fictitious roll numbers on the answer sheets. CBSE officials said that answer sheets will be transported to the centre, as per the coded guidelines, in ''safe bags''. <br /><br />The secrecy team including the helpers engaged to do manual work like lifting and stacking of answer books, will then work at a single stretch between 8 am and 8 pm to put the fictitious roll numbers. <br /><br />Personnel engaged in the process will remain cut off from the outside world for the 12 hour period at the end of which the answer sheets will be repacked in the safe bags for transportation to the nodal centres identified for carrying out the evaluation. <br /><formid=367815><br /><br /></formid=367815></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal"><br />Instead of hiring outsiders, this year, the board has appointed its own personnel as helpers. All personnel entering the secrecy centre will be thoroughly checked and will be required to take off their shoes. <br /><br />Provisions have also been made for a three layered security ring outside the centre. The internal security will be comprised of personnel selected and deployed by the secrecy team. The middle ring will be deployed at the gate with the police personnel providing the security at the periphery. <br /><br />"Even CBSE officials will not be allowed entry inside the secrecy centre," an official said. <br /><br />The Board has also taken fresh measures to check the use of unfair means in the examination hall. <br /><br />This year, the examination observers will be rotated between different centres. Thus, each centre will have a new observer for every examination. This, officials say, has been done to check the observers from developing familiarity with the students.<br /><br />The question papers, which have been kept in safe custody with local nationalised banks will be delivered to the examination centres between 9 to 9.30 am. The centres will also have police presence to prevent any untoward incidents. <br /><br /><formid=367815></formid=367815></div> </div>