Guwahati: With more than 7.6 lakh candidates scheduled to appear in the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) and Higher Secondary (HS) Final Examinations, 2026, the State government and the Assam State School Education Board (ASSEB) have rolled out an extensive security and supervision framework to ensure smooth, fair, and malpractice-free conduct of the examinations.
To closely monitor the entire examination process, both district-level and state-level examination supervision committees have been activated. These committees will oversee preparations, conduct, and post-examination procedures to maintain transparency and discipline across all centres. In addition, flying squads led by executive magistrates will conduct surprise inspections at examination venues, while district administrations have been authorized to enforce prohibitory orders in and around centres to prevent unlawful assemblies and external interference.
As per the examination schedule, the HSLC examinations will be held from February 10 to February 27, 2026, across 1,046 centres— the highest number ever recorded in the history of the Board. The Higher Secondary final examinations will take place from February 11 to March 16 at 821 centres, supported by 48 evaluation zones. Official figures indicate that 4,38,565 candidates will appear for the HSLC examinations, while 3,30,744 students are set to take the HS final examinations this year.
Controller of Examinations Nayanjyoti Sarma stated that out of the total HSLC centres, 194 have been classified as sensitive and most sensitive following a detailed assessment by Inspectors of Schools. He added that these centres will be placed under heightened surveillance with stricter monitoring arrangements to deter any attempt at malpractice.
To further strengthen exam integrity, candidates will undergo mandatory frisking before entering examination halls. The use of mobile phones has been strictly prohibited, with all electronic devices belonging to invigilators and officials required to be deposited with the centre in-charge, except for a limited number of authorized personnel permitted to carry phones for emergency communication.
Invigilation duties will be performed exclusively by trained teachers from government and provincialised schools. Authorities have clarified that teachers from private institutions will not be engaged for invigilation. Moreover, subject teachers will not be assigned invigilation responsibilities on the days their respective subjects are scheduled, in order to avoid any conflict of interest.
At the state level, the State Level Examination Supervision Committee will supervise district-wise operations, with special attention to the security, storage, and transportation of question papers and OMR sheets from police stations and designated packet-opening points. Dedicated district control rooms will remain operational throughout the examination and evaluation period, maintaining continuous coordination with the central control room.
Officials said the coordinated efforts of the education department, district administration, and police are aimed at ensuring that the HSLC and HS examinations are conducted peacefully, transparently, and without any scope for unfair practices.
