A purported image of the Bengali question paper started making rounds on WhatsApp soon after the first language examination of the class 10 state boards began on Tuesday, even as the authorities said there was no report of any leak.
The image went viral shortly after the exams began in 2,839 centres across the state at 12 pm.
Reacting to it, West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) president Kalyanmoy Ganguly told PTI, "We don't have any such update. To my knowledge exams are taking place smoothly in all the centres on the first day."
"We would request the media and everyone concerned to share the image of the question paper with the board so that we can tally and ensure fairness of the exams on which lives of lakhs of students are involved. There should not be any game involving students," he said.
To prevent any malpractices during the exams, the board had recommended suspension of internet services in neighbourhoods of several examination centres spread across 42 blocks of the state.
Last year, purported images of Bengali, English, History, Geography and Mathematics papers were shared on social media during the exams but both the board and education minister Partha Chatterjee rubbished those, saying there was no leak.
An estimated 10,15,888 candidates are appearing for the Madhyamik examinations this year and of them, 5,76,009 are girls.
While question papers were despatched to examination centres by 10.39 am, the packets were opened at 11.40 am and were distributed among students at 11.50 am.
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