Gurgaon: Haryana Board of School Education (HBSE) has announced that officials found responsible for cheating, negligence or paper leaks may be required to bear the financial cost of reconducting exams. The decision comes ahead of the Class 12 examinations beginning on Feb 25 and the Class 10 examinations from Feb 26. The Board said it will follow a ‘zero tolerance policy’ in line with directions issued by the chief minister.The new approach, officials said, is aimed at strengthening accountability and restoring people’s confidence in the examination process, which has faced criticism in recent years over malpractice. “If a paper is cancelled at a particular centre due to irregularities, the centre superintendent will be held responsible,” HBSE chairperson Dr Pawan Kumar Sharma said.Further, the Board stated that a penalty of around Rs 5,000, equivalent to the estimated daily operational cost of an examination centre, will be recovered from the official concerned.In addition to monetary penalties, the Board has outlined disciplinary action against those found involved in unfair practices. Govt staff may face departmental proceedings, including charge sheets, and involvement of staff members of private schools could result in derecognition of their schools and legal proceedings against their school’s management.Strict entry rules, frisking of candidates, and a complete ban on electronic devices such as mobile phones and smartwatches inside examination halls have been mandated. District administrations will enforce Section 144 around examination centres to prevent unauthorised gatherings, while police PCR vans will conduct regular patrols to maintain law and order. CCTV surveillance has been made compulsory, and special flying squads will monitor sensitive locations to ensure compliance with rules.Moreover, the Board has also sought cooperation from local communities, including gram panchayats, to help maintain the integrity of examinations and discourage attempts at cheating. “Centres found to be lenient or compromised could be permanently removed from the list of approved examination venues,” an official concerned said.
