In a bid to prevent question paper leaks, the Odisha Board has introduced a barcode and watermark system for the matriculation examination question papers. This new system will help track the source of the leak if the question paper goes viral.
The board has already tested this system in the Odisha Secondary High School Teacher Eligibility Test (OSSTET) question paper, scheduled for next month. If successful, the system will be implemented in the matriculation examination as well.
According to Board President Srikant Tarai, this year's 10th class board examination question papers will feature a unique numbering system, barcode, security code, and watermark. This will enable authorities to identify the source of any leaked question papers.
The matriculation examination is set to begin on February 21 and conclude on March 6. The exam schedule is as follows:
- First Language Odia: February 21
- Second Language English: February 24
- Mathematics: February 27 (exam duration: 9 am - 11:45 am)
- Science: March 1
- Social Science: March 3
- Third Language Hindi and Sanskrit: March 6
All exams will start at 9 am and end at 11:30 am, except for the Mathematics exam, which will have an additional 15 minutes.