Over 7.10 lakh candidates appear for Bengal class 12 board exams
Kolkata (PTI): The West Bengal class 12 board examinations began on Thursday with over 7.10 lakh candidates appearing in three categories across the state.
The examinations, conducted by the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE), will continue till February 27.
Of 7,10,811 candidates, 6,35,864 are appearing for the fourth semester examinations, 59,452 are writing the third semester supplementary tests, while 15,495 have opted for the old syllabus system.
In all, 3,95,079 girls are appearing for the examinations this year, 79,347 more than boys, across the three categories.
While the fourth-semester exams are being held between 10 am and noon, the third-semester supplementary takes place between 1 pm and 2:15 pm.
Candidates under the old syllabus system are writing their papers from 10 am to 1.15 pm.
For the first time, around 7,000 invigilators have been sourced from primary, upper primary and secondary schools, as many teachers in higher secondary schools are still involved in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls, council president Chiranjib Bhattacharya said at a press meet here on Monday.
Around 2,100 centres (higher secondary schools) are being used for the semester III and IV examinations statewide.
As part of stricter monitoring measures, CCTV cameras have been installed at all entrance gates and over 100 venues have been categorised as "sensitive" to be placed under additional supervision.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
