Temporary fireplaces will be installed in Darjeeling, Ghoom, Jorapokhari and Sonada — the four exam centres in Darjeeling district. The Madhyamik exam, to be held from February 15 to 26, will have 6,000 candidates sitting in these centres.

The work of constructing fireplaces in the classrooms of these four centers is almost over, stated the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. “A sum of Rs 3 lakh will be spent for constructing the fireplaces,” said S Sarkar, Secretary of West Bengal Board of Secondary Education.

The temperature, meanwhile, will be chillier. “A rise in temperature from February 18 is likely in Darjeeling. But the trend has changed since last year. The chilly weather will continue till the first week of March,” said an official of the Met department.

“North Bengal is under the grip of a low pressure. If this continues for some more days, the temperature in Darjeeling is likely to drop even further,” said T K Chakraborty, regional director of the Met office. Last year too the mercury had dipped to 3.5 degree centigrade during the Board examinations in the last week of February. Thousands of students appearing for the Madhyamik exams from the hilly regions of Kurseong, Kalimpong had to write their exam in the cold in the absence of any room heating systems.