A delegation of the education board will be visiting Gujarat next month to study a similar system introduced by the Gujarat state board for their students this year.

Shridhar Salunkhe, divisional chairperson of the board, Mumbai said: “A number of students and parents ask for photocopies of answersheets every year. We see this as an important step to help them verify their marks and, more importantly, to discipline examiners and moderators. We will make a proposal after observing how the Gujarat board functions.”

Usually, around 1-1.5 per cent of students who take these board examinations seek to verify their marks. “The centres, where answersheets will be made available to students, will have CCTV cameras in place, which will monitor the students and officials,” Salunkhe said.

The board has introduced a new rule holding supervisors and invigilators of a particular examination centre accountable if students are caught copying to curb instances of mass copying, often with the connivance of supervisors. “Copying is more prevalent in the tribal areas of Thane and other rural areas. It is the responsibility of supervisors to ensure that such incidents don’t occur, but in several instances supervisors are also involved. The new rule will help keep such malpractices in check,” Salunkhe said.