21 February,2025 08:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Archana Dahiwal
SSC students prepare for their board exams on the street in Worli on Wednesday. Pic/Ashish Raje
The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education has replaced the entire staff at 701 exam centres across the state for the SSC 2025 exams in a step to prevent malpractices. Board Chairman Sharad Gosavi said, "The board has taken a strict decision to curb exam malpractices and ensure fair examinations. Replacing the staff at these centres will help prevent any irregularities in the SSC board exams this year."
For the SSC 2025 exam, 1.8 lakh personnel will be deployed across 5130 exam centres in Maharashtra. The 701 centres with completely new staff include Pune - 139 out of 679 centres, Nashik - 93 out of 486 centres, Nagpur - 86 out of 679 centres, Mumbai - 18 out of 1055 centres, Kolhapur - 54 out of 114 centres, Konkan - no staff changes as no malpractice cases were reported, Latur - 59 out of 413 centres, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar - 155 out of 646 centres.
Gosavi explained that this reshuffling is based on malpractice cases reported since the COVID-19 period at these 701 centres. He warned that any malpractice during SSC or HSC exams will result in strict legal action, with those involved facing cognisable and non-bailable charges under the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices Act, 1982.
To further enhance security, assistant supervisors (runners) will monitor the handling and distribution of confidential exam packets using mobile video recordings from collection to distribution at the exam centre. Photocopy centres within a 500-metre radius of exam centres will remain closed during the exam period, and Section 144 will be imposed in exam centre areas to prevent unauthorised gatherings. In sensitive areas, drone surveillance will be used to monitor exam centres. The officials added that these measures aim to ensure a fair, transparent, and stress-free examination process for all students appearing for the SSC board exams.
