TN government school teachers seek CCTV cameras, stricter supervision at exam centres

Chennai: Government school teachers in Tamil Nadu have called for CCTV cameras at public examination centres and changes to the invigilator appointment process to ensure stricter supervision of the Class 10 and Class 12 examinations in 2026-27.  

The teachers have also urged the school education department to shorten the gaps between examination papers and review the provision allowing chief invigilators to use mobile phones during the first hour of examinations.

The demands come amid questions over unusually high numbers of perfect scores recorded at certain private schools. At one institution, more than 100 of its 148 Class 12 students scored centums in Chemistry in 2025, while none achieved a perfect score in the subject in 2026. Such sharp variations at a few private schools prompted the department to deploy officers on special duty to supervise examinations at those institutions in 2026.

R. Srinivasan, state general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Higher Secondary Headmasters’ Association, said installing CCTV cameras would help protect students and improve accountability during examinations.

He cited cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against government teachers assigned as invigilators. According to Srinivasan, students had alleged sexual assault, while the teachers maintained that they were checking for malpractice.

Referring to circulars from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Karnataka’s school education department, which he said mandated CCTV surveillance, Srinivasan called for similar measures in Tamil Nadu. However, officials from the Directorate of Government Examinations cited the high cost of installing cameras across more than 7,000 examination centres, each comprising several halls.

With around 8.5 lakh candidates appearing for the examinations and each hall accommodating 20 students, approximately 42,000 halls would need CCTV coverage, according to the estimates cited.

As a more affordable alternative, Srinivasan proposed installing plug-and-play cameras at randomly selected examination centres during the examination period.

Teachers have also expressed concern over the lengthy intervals between papers, arguing that they could affect students’ concentration. They added that assigning government school teachers to examination duty at private schools disrupted regular classes for students in lower grades.

Another issue raised by the teachers is the provision allowing chief invigilators to use mobile phones during the first hour of examinations to communicate attendance and other details. They have called for the provision to be withdrawn, citing the potential for misuse.

The teachers have further demanded a computerised random allocation system for examination personnel. They alleged that local influence sometimes affected the assignment of invigilators, allowing those perceived as lenient to be posted at particular schools.

According to the teachers, a randomised allocation process would make appointments more transparent and help ensure uniform supervision across examination centres throughout Tamil Nadu. (IANS)