Till Tuesday, the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE), which conducts the Madhyamik exams, disqualified about 32 candidates who were found in possession of mobile phones inside exam centres.

The exam, which began on February 2, has been marred by controversy, after question papers were found available on social media after the start of the examination on the first three days (February 2, 3 and 5). On the first day, two candidates were disqualified while 13 more were disqualified on the second day of the exam. On Monday, nine students were disqualified.

The use of mobile phones inside exam centres and sharing of question papers on WhatsApp, prompted the WBBSE to swing into action.

On Tuesday, WBBSE president Ramanuj Ganguly visited five Madhyamik exam venues in Malda district, including the two from where the Bengali and English question papers were shared on the first two days of the board exam. Later, he informed that eight examinees were disqualified after they were caught with devices like smartphones or smartwatches at the exam venues. However, on the fourth day of the exam, the question paper was not available on social media.

Despite the question papers being shared on social media on the first three days, the board president refused to term it a leak. “The detection of such devices does not mean that the question paper got leaked. But since the board has made it strictly compulsory not to carry any such device to exam halls, strict steps were taken against those found having the devices while writing their papers,” Ganguly said.

He said another 25 cellphones, including five from Malda district, were seized from the examinees during frisking before they entered their respective exam centres. “The examination on the fourth day ended successfully and almost all of the 9.23 lakh Madhyamik examinees, who are appearing this year, adhered to the rules of the board,” said Ganguly.

The secondary exam started last Friday (February 2) and will end on February 12.