Bhubaneswar: In a decisive move to safeguard the integrity of the upcoming Matric examinations, the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) has announced a significant security measure aimed at preventing the leakage of question papers.
Starting this year, question papers will be equipped with watermarks and barcodes, designed to enhance security and deter any unauthorised attempts to circulate the papers before the examination.
The initiative was confirmed by BSE President Srikanta Tarai during a media briefing on Tuesday, where he explained that the watermarks will be embedded on every page of the question paper. This will allow authorities to trace the origin of any potential leaks.
“The self-display watermark will carry key information such as the examination center and hall details. In the event that a student or any individual attempts to capture an image of the question paper using a smartphone or scanner, the watermark will display this critical information,” Tarai said.
The new system has been developed in collaboration with several educational boards across India, including the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and other state boards.
Tarai also revealed that the watermarking technique is being tested on the question papers of the Odisha Secondary School Teachers Eligibility Test (OSSTET), scheduled for January 17.
“If successful, we will implement this system for the annual Matric examination later this year,” he added.
It is important to note that the self-display watermark is an embedded feature within the content of the question paper, remaining invisible to the naked eye or on the surface until activated under specific conditions.
