BHUBANESWAR: The Annual Higher Secondary Examination (AHSE) 2026 will begin on February 18 and continue till March 21, informed the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE). Over four lakh students are scheduled to appear for the exam.
CHSE chairman Mrunal Kanti Das informed media persons that a total of 4,00,736 students including 2,56,042 in arts, 1,14,238 in science, 24,533 in commerce and 5,923 in vocational education, have filled up forms to appear for the exam this year. “For the first time, artificial intelligence (AI) will be used to secure the question papers at all the hubs prior to their distribution in the examination centres,” he added.
Das further stated that the council plans to publish results for all streams within 40 days of the exam. “All measures are being taken to ensure that the exam is conducted in a smooth and transparent manner,” he said.
The CHSE will install AI-integrated cameras in all 210 examination hubs where question papers will be kept prior to their dispatch to the exam centres, the CHSE chairman said adding, the cameras will immediately notify the council in the event of any activity or movement in the rooms where the question papers are to be kept.
“The council will conduct web-casting and live streaming of the practical examination to be held from January 2 to 15 next year. The internal assessment will also be held twice - from December 22 to 31 in the first phase and January 10 to 15 in the second phase,” Das said. Council officials said the move has been taken as clearing internal exam has been made mandatory for the students to appear for AHSE from this year onwards.
CHSE controller of exams (CoE) Prasanta Kumar Parida said the exam will be conducted in 99 more upgraded higher secondary schools.
“Accordingly, the number of examination centres has been increased to around 1,350 against 1,268 centres in the previous year,” he said.
Parida, however, clarified that schools failing to ensure proper functioning of CCTV cameras in the exam halls and on their campuses will be removed from the centre list.
“To check malpractice and other wrongful activities during the exam, squads will be deployed at different levels. There will be two squads at the district level each comprising three members, to conduct surprise check. Last year, only one squad was engaged for each district,” he said.
According to the schedule, the exams will begin at 10 am and continue till 1 pm. Students of science stream will appear for their MIL paper on the first day. The admit cards for the exam will be issued to the students from December 15 onwards.