CCTV to be installed in SSC exam halls

To ensure that the upcoming Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations are held in a fair, beautiful and cheating-free environment, CCTV cameras have been ordered to be installed in the examination rooms. In addition, the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education has issued 11-point special instructions for the central secretaries and heads of institutions.

These instructions were sent to the central secretaries and heads of institutions on Saturday (March 28). Earlier, these decisions were taken at a meeting on examinations at the Ministry of Education on March 25.

Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon and officials of the Ministry of Education and the board were present at the meeting.

The instructions state that the SSC and equivalent examinations will start across the country from April 21. The government has adopted a 'zero tolerance' policy to prevent any kind of irregularities in the examinations.

Notable among the 11-point instructions is that CCTV cameras must be installed in every examination center and examination room. In centers where the cameras are not working, they must be activated before the start of the examination and the recorded videos must be saved and provided to the authorities as needed.

It has also been ordered to hang a wall clock in each room. In addition, it has been asked to deploy adequate law enforcement forces in coordination with the local administration to ensure the security of the center.

The instructions also state that no teacher or examinee, except the center secretary, will be allowed to use mobile phones in the examination hall. To prevent cheating and malpractice, body searches of examinees should be made and in the case of female examinees, searches should be ensured by female teachers.

It has also been said that special instructions should be posted at the main gate of the examination center for guardians and students, the center should be kept clean and adequate light and ventilation should be ensured.

Finally, it has been warned that strict legal action will be taken against those responsible, including the center secretary, if the instructions are not followed properly.