In a bid to prevent question paper leak in the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams, the Education Ministry has decided to close down coaching centres from March 29.

The coaching centers running HSC examinations related activities will remain closed until the end of Higher Secondary Certificates examinations, an official of the ministry wishing not to be named told The Daily Star today.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid will brief media in this regard tomorrow, he said.

During the exams, no one will be allowed to use mobile phone except the secretary of the exam centers. He can use feature phone set but not any smartphone, he added.

“The question papers for the first time will be wrapped with a security tape, which will prevent any third party opening the question papers and again seal it,” he said.

The sets of the question papers will be fixed by lottery 25 minutes prior to the tests to check question-paper leak.

Like Secondary School Certificate (SSC), the HSC examinees have also been asked to enter the examination centres 30 minutes prior to their respective exams.

The HSC and equivalent examinations of this year are scheduled to be held between April 2 and May 13.