Nearly four lakh candidates appeared for the teacher eligibility test (TET) amid tight security across Assam on Sunday.

The last TET was held in the state in 2012.

Altogether 2,30,482 candidates appeared for the Sunday test for lower primary classes and 1,66,079 for upper primary classes. The examination was held in 587 centres.

R.C. Jain, chairman of Board of Secondary Education, Assam (Seba), which conducted the test, said four candidates were expelled for using unfair means. He said around five per cent applicants did not turn up.

Seba had taken several measures to make the test free and fair.

Jain said in association with the Electronic Corporation of India, they had deployed jammers in around 60 per cent examination centres to stop candidates from using electronic devices.

To prevent question paper leaks, the invigilators were asked to open the question paper sets only in the examination halls and in the presence of at least two students.

Jain said each question paper has a unique code. “If someone takes photograph of a question paper, the code can identify the student to whom the particular paper was given,” he said. Jain said the system will also be implemented for the matriculation examination this year.

The application process had created a controversy because of lack of qualification-related clarity in the advertisement.

When Seba realised its mistake and came out with a rejoinder, over one lakh ineligible youths had already applied for the test.

“We are going to return the application fee paid by these youths. The process will begin within a day or two,” said Jain.

Amid this, a picture of two women police personnel taking care of babies of TET candidates, tweeted by director-general of police Kuladhar Saikia, was hailed by many.