Bihar turns to tech to plug exam loopholes

The Bihar Staff Selection Commission, which was in news for its paper leak-cum-multi-crore job racket involving over 18 lakh students earlier this year, has decided to go the technology way to plug the loopholes in the examination and evaluation process.

For starters, the Commission has decided to install mobile network jammers at the exam centres and tender have been invited for it. "The jammers should be able to to block all mobile and data network services so that questions are not leaked using instant messaging, emails or other such techniques. The jammers will commence working at least half-an-hour before the exam," said a senior BSSC official.

In February this year, the Bihar government was left red-faced when the BSSC's inter-level combined competitive preliminary examination for recruitment to around 10,000 clerical level jobs, was found to have been rigged by the exam mafias BSSC is also mulling implementing biometric attendance for the examinees. This will minimise chances of proxy candidates and officials said the same technique may later be implemented at the counselling round.