KATHMANDU: Following complaints of irregularities, the Higher Secondary Education Board (HSEB) has started to monitor the checking of answer sheets strictly. The checking began immediately after completion of the class XII examinations two weeks ago. Though an examiner is allowed to check 200 copies in a week as per the HSEB regulation, an examiner was accused of checking more than 100 copies a day without reading the answers thoroughly. One examiner on condition of anonymity said, “Now, the HSEB has started to monitor checking of answer sheets strictly. HSEB officials assess the list of the checked copies each day before examiners leave the hall.” He added that the HSEB had started to strictly monitor the checking of answer sheets after irregularities were reported in The Himalayan Times on June 9. An examiner is paid Rs 15 to check per answer sheets. HSEB examiners were free for rest of the week after examining a bundle of sheets in two days. However, with the new monitoring mechanism in place, examiners may not have the liberty anymore. “We have also heard of the HSEB taking money and influencing the results of the board,” complained an examiner. As many as 700-800 examiners have been employed to check the answer sheets for the examinations conducted for class XII. The checking of copies will complete in about a month. According to the HSEB, about 260,000 students appeared in the exams this year and the results will be published by mid-July.