Odisha matric question papers to get barcodes & watermarks

Barcodes are to be introduced in Odisha matric question papers along with the watermarks to track question paper leaks, the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) informed on Tuesday.

According to official sources, the education board is set to introduce stringent security protocols to safeguard Class 10 examination papers amid concerns over past leaks. In a bid to ensure the sanctity of the matric examination process, each exam paper will be uniquely identifiable with a range of security features.

Also Read: 2025 Odisha matric exam schedule released; details inside

Measures include watermarks, barcodes, and encrypted security numbers on each paper. This initiative is designed to trace any leaks back to their source, should they occur. The move aims to prevent the recurrence of incidents where papers were leaked and shared online, leading to unfair advantages for some candidates and distress for the Board.

In addition, there will be numbered seating arrangements for the candidates, a step taken to further bolster the security of the matric examination environment. The Board emphasises that maintaining the fairness and integrity of the exams is of paramount importance.

Worth mentioning, on November 14 last year, BSE released the schedule for 2025 matric examinations in Odisha.

Must Read: Odisha BSE Matric exam results to be announced on time; students to get digital certificates in 7 days

As per the released schedule, the exams will commence on February 21, 2025 (Friday) and conclude on March 06, 2025 (Thursday). Both regular and ex-regular examinations will be held in one sitting and one question paper.

Every day, the exam will begin at 9.00 AM and end at 11.30 AM.

Notwithstanding elaborate arrangements made by the Board for the smooth conduct of the annual High School Certificate (HSC) examination, the question paper of the English examination reportedly leaked on February 24, 2024.