Bhubaneswar: The matriculation examination began today with new question-cum-answer booklets. For the first time in Odisha, students appeared the exam at their own schools. Over five lakh regular students and 58,000 ex-regular students appeared the exam at 2,500 centres. The High School Certificate Examinations conducted by Board of Secondary Education (BSE) will continue till March 9.

For the first time, the BSE has introduced question cum answer booklet. The students need to write their answers on the question sheets. The new format did not create any problem for nearly 6 lakh students as they were already acquainted with the new format during their pre-test.

The security has been tightened at the centres where the question papers have been kept to prevent theft. The BSE along with the school and mass education department formed 135 squads, including 11 Zonal, 50 Central and 74 DEO level to check malpractice at the centres.

However, few students’ career remained under darkness as they were deprived of appearing the exam in Keonjhar. Around 250 students in Anandpur area have not been issued admit card. The students staged dharna near Collector’s residence today when students of other schools appeared their MIL exam.  The reason for not issuing admit cards to them was not clear.