Police have announced four numbers where students can call or WhatsApp to report inconvenience caused by loud music or loudhailers during board exams.

Calcutta police commissioner Anuj Sharma announced the numbers on Facebook and Twitter on Saturday morning. “Wish the students all the best for their exams,” he said. “In case of any disturbance to your studies due to loud music, miking etc or any other issue #Dial 100 or Call/WhatsApp message at the following numbers!!”

The numbers are: 9432610443, 9432610446, 9874903465, 9432624365.

The ISC exams started on Friday and the CBSE Class X and XII exams started on Saturday. The Madhyamik exams will start from Monday and the ICSE from February 27.

In 1996, Justice Bhagabati Prasad Banerjee of Calcutta High Court had observed that nobody could be made a “captive listener” to noise. He later banned the use of microphones in the open three days before the start of board exams.

Despite the ban, children often complain about loudspeakers or microphones blaring music in their vicinity.

Every year complaints pour in on the police helpline, 100, complaining about noise pollution in the exam season, officers in Lalbazar said.

“But this is the first time we have dedicated numbers particularly for this,” an officer said. Once a complaint is received on the control helpline number, the local police station is alerted and officers reach the spot and ask people playing loudspeakers to switch them off, the officer said. “In most of the cases, people listen to us to avoid prosecution. But if there is any form of resistance, we prosecute them for causing public nuisance and seize the music gadgets.”

People reporting the matter often do not want to reveal their identities, another officer said.

“That is not a problem... but complaints should be mention the address of the premises where loudspeakers are blaring. Otherwise it becomes difficult to identity the house.”