In a significant move to bolster examination integrity, the Council of Higher Secondary Education Odisha (CHSE) has announced the adoption of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology for monitoring its examination process. The decision, mirroring a recent step by the Board of Secondary Education, Odisha (BSE), aims to bring heightened security to strongrooms and sensitive examination centres across the state.
AI-Powered Eyes on Exam Hubs
The council will install AI-powered CCTV cameras in all 210 examination hubs where question papers for the annual Plus II examinations are stored. CHSE controller of examinations, Prasanta Kumar Parida, explained the upgrade on Wednesday. He noted that while conventional CCTVs were used previously, they failed to provide immediate alerts for irregularities, requiring manual verification of footage. The new AI system will offer real-time updates directly to the CHSE examination management hub, enabling prompt action.
The proposal for implementing AI-powered CCTVs received formal approval from the CHSE's examination committee on the same day. This technological shift is designed to preempt any potential security breaches at the source, ensuring the sanctity of question papers before they are dispatched to various exam centres.
Live-Streaming for Practical Examinations
Addressing another critical area, the CHSE has mandated the live-streaming of Plus II practical examinations, scheduled to commence in January next year. This decision comes in response to allegations of malpractices reported from different higher secondary schools (HSS) during practical tests.
Parida highlighted that since all theory examinations are already monitored via live-stream at the management hub, extending the same protocol to practical exams was a logical step. The live-streaming link will be shared with the school and mass education department, as well as district administrations, if required. A dedicated team of seven CHSE personnel at the management hub will oversee the entire monitoring process.
A Step Towards Tech-Enabled Exam Transparency
This initiative follows the successful implementation of a similar system by the BSE for the matriculation examinations earlier this year. The BSE had installed AI-powered cameras in strongrooms and sensitive centres to effectively monitor irregularities.
The CHSE's dual approach of deploying AI for surveillance and live-streaming for practicals represents a robust effort to leverage technology for ensuring fairness and transparency in the state's crucial higher secondary examinations. These measures are expected to significantly deter malpractices and build greater confidence in the examination system among students, parents, and educational institutions.
