The HSC and SSC board exams will see heightened security as the board has formed district-wise squads under the chairmanship of the respective district collectors.

The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) has identified Marathwada and Vidarbha region as sensitive areas where maximum cases of cheating and copying occur during the exams and, hence, has increased squads in these areas.

Throwing light on the board’s efforts to keep the exams transparent and free of copying cases, Krishna Patil, secretary, MSBSHSE, said that with the HSC board exams starting on February 18, letters for forming squads and increasing vigil at exam centres had been sent to all district collectors and superintendents of police.

“The collectors are the nodal heads of squads formed under the board’s different regional offices. All government bodies and offices like the police department, deputy directors of education and other organisations have been requested to participate in vigilance duties for the board exams to ensure that the exams are conducted in a proper manner,” said Mr Patil.

The committees and squads are expected to oversee security arrangements, visit exam centres, inspect arrangements as well as get video footage of the same and take measures to deter corrupt practices by students, supervisors, school officials and parents.

Over the past two years, Marathwada and Vidarbha regions have had more than 35 per cent of copying cases while the remaining seven regions have had 65 per cent.