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The WBCHSE Class 12 exams began with 6.6 lakh students under the new semester system, with strict guidelines in place as 122 centres were marked sensitive.
6.6 lakh students appear for West Bengal’s Class 12 semester exams. (Pexels Image for Representation)
An estimated 6.6 lakh students appeared for the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) Class 12 board exams on Monday, marking the first time the new semester system has been introduced at this level. 56.03 percent of the candidates were girls, as reported by news agency PTI.
The Class 12 students, who had earlier written semester exams in Class 11, are now taking their final school exams in the same format. WBCHSE president Chiranjib Bhattacharya said the exams will continue till August 22.
The board confirmed that this is the first time in its history that Class 12 exams are being held in a semester-based format. Bhattacharya said, “The students, who passed the first and second semester exams of Class 11, took the third semester exams (of Class 12) at 2,106 centres across the state.” The papers were held from 10 am to 11.15 am.
He added that 122 exam centres have been categorised as ‘sensitive’. All electronic devices, including mobile phones, have been banned at the centres, and steps are being taken to prevent malpractice.
The last exam in the annual system, which had been followed since 1978, was conducted in March this year. Under the new pattern, semesters one and three include multiple-choice questions to encourage logical thinking and reasoning, while semesters two and four will feature short answer and development quotient questions to test writing skills, Bhattacharya explained.
The Semester 3 exams began on September 8 and will end on September 22, 2025. Exams are being held in a single shift from 10 am to 10.45 am at 2,016 centres, out of which 122 have been marked sensitive.
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The board also issued strict guidelines for students. From this year, calculators and other items such as printed or written material, plastic pouches, pen drives, log tables, electronic pens or scanners, mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, smart watches, cameras, goggles, bags, health bands, or any other gadgets are not allowed inside exam halls.
The exams started with language papers including Bengali, English, Hindi, Nepali, Urdu, Santhali, Odia, Telugu and Punjabi, and will conclude with Biological Science, Political Science, and Costing and Taxation.
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September 08, 2025, 15:39 IST
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