Mumbai: 3,38,478 lakh students are set to appear for the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination as the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) commences its assessments. Meanwhile, the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination is scheduled to begin on 21st February with a total of 3,58,854 students set to appear.

The number of students appearing for the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations has increased significantly compared to the previous year, with an additional 19,000 candidates registering for the SSC exams and 17,000 more for the HSC exams in comparison to 2024 in the Mumbai region.

Among those sitting for the SSC examination, 1,87,362 are male candidates, 1,71,490 are female candidates, and two are transgender candidates. For the HSC examination, 1,74,815 male candidates, 1,63,656 female candidates, and seven transgender candidates have enrolled.

To ensure a smooth and organised examination process, the board has established 1,055 exam centres across the Mumbai region for SSC candidates and 670 centres for HSC candidates. Thane district has the highest number of students appearing for the SSC examination, with 1,21,244 candidates, followed by Mumbai West with 57,469 students. For the HSC examinations, Mumbai West leads with 69,735 candidates, closely followed by Thane, which has 1,03,718 students.

A state education board official stated that meticulous planning has been undertaken to allocate exam centres and deploy invigilators to maintain the integrity of the examination process. The board has reinforced its commitment to conducting fair and transparent examinations under its copy-free exam campaign, implementing stringent security measures to prevent any malpractice.

Drone surveillance will be deployed to monitor sensitive examination centres, and authorities will strictly enforce the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices Act, 1982. Under this law, individuals found guilty of aiding or abetting examination malpractices will face cognisable and non-bailable charges.