“Neither the examination staff including the superintendent nor the students appearing for exams would be allowed to carry mobile phones in the examination hall,” Bajaj said.

She said the move would help curb incidents of cheating during board exams, due to begin shortly.

Till last year, not only the exam supervisors but also students were reported carrying mobile phones inside the examination halls during Punjab School Education Board in Mohali. “Last year, more than two dozen cellphones were confiscated from the staff as well as from students at different centres. And during the final exams of the year 2005-2006, a large numbers of cellphones were impounded from the examination halls,” Bajaj said.