Nearly one million students across Bihar started their Class 10 exams Friday. The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB), which conducts the examinations, has made elaborate arrangements for peaceful and fair exams.

Over 974,000 students are taking the high school examination, which will continue till March 11.

"The first day's exam took place at 1,359 examination centres peacefully and without any trouble as per information received," BSEB chairman, A.K.P Yadav told IANS.

BSEB has taken extensive measures to curb cheating for which the state has been quite notorious in the past, said A.K. Sinha, an official of the board.

"The examinations are being conducted with unprecedented measures in place to curb cheating," he added.

BSEB has identified more than 100 centres as sensitive. It has ordered videography at all centres to check cheating and has set up a control room with a telephone for round the clock vigil.

"Special anti-copying squads have been deployed at the district level to keep strict vigil at each centre," said Sinha.

In Bihar, cheating is rampant and any action to stop it has often led to violent protests.