Bulkier answer papers and hi-tech optical character reading sheets for computer evaluation in science practical exams are some of the new features that will be implemented in the CBSE class X and XII exams this year.

To reduce the time consumed during taking additional pages and tying them to the main answer sheet, the board has decided to provide more pages in the main answer book, CBSE Chairman Ashok Ganguly said.

"Invariably, asking for supplementary sheets interrupts the concentration and the writing flow of the students," he added.

Hi-tech optical character reading sheets in science practical exams will contain 30 questions having four responses each and the candidates will choose the right answer and darken the circles.

More than 12 lakh children will take the CBSE class X and class XII exams this year, an increase of one lakh over the previous year, Ganguly said.

There are 12,07,840 registered candidates for the examinations, of which 5,05,152 are for Class X and 5,02,688 are for Class XII. There were 11,02,472 candidates last year --6,47,992 for Class X and 4,54,480 for Class XII.