Taking serious cognisance of number of cases of act of copying found during the recently concluded SSC, HSSC examinations conducted by Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE), the Government is contemplating to hold examinations on digital platform. A senior official from department of education told ‘The Hitavada’ on condition of anonymity, “The issue of shifting examinations to digital platform has been under consideration since long. We have asked State Board to do preparations accordingly. The plan is not finalised yet. The move is being considered in view of the massive paper consumption involved in the current system. Considering the maximum use of paper in the examination process, the department is planning to move towards digital examinations in the future.”

 

This official also pointed out that the department has also gave a serious thought to the larger use of paper which goes to waste later on. If everything is conducted digitally then paper is saved, records remain intact stored, accuracy in the valuation can be maintained. For the HSSC 2026 examination, over 10 crore pages were used for which 223 metric tonnes of paper was consumed, and for 1 crore answersheets 1,700 metric tonnes paper was required. The official explained, “The students will write examination on-line and the valuation too will be conducted online. This way the accuracy and speed in declaration of results will increase.”

 

Apart from conducting examinations online, the department is also planning to bring some administrative changes. Mark sheets and certificates will now be issued as a single combined document. The format of student names has also been revised to first name, father’s name, surname, replacing the earlier surname-first convention. Acting on the instructions of the education department the Board has tested a GPS-enabled digital lock system for transporting question papers in Baramati taluka during the February–March 2026 exams.

 

The system ensured secure movement from custody centres to exam halls, and its statewide rollout is now under consideration. Board has been asking centres to have CCTV surveillence. But most centres don’t do it. From next year it will be made mandatory at all examination centres. Those who don’t follow may face strict action, said sources. A total of 1,983 unfair means cases were reported during the HSSC 2026 exams, with the highest number recorded in the Amravati division. Authorities also registered 15 FIRs related to exam irregularities and suspended 100 staff members for misconduct.