Patna, Jan 5 (IANS) To send a clear message not to compromise with cheating during the matriculation exams this year, Bihar's education department has suspended four headmasters of government-run schools where large-scale cheating was reported in the 2015 exams, officials said on Tuesday.

"The decision to suspend the four headmasters was taken after a directive of state Education Minister Ashok Choudhary to ensure cheating-free exams this year," an education department official said.

The four headmasters were of schools in Vaishali and Saran districts.

"The department acted against them to fix responsibility and accountability to conduct cheating-free exams. Last year, Bihar's name was defamed following large-scale cheating," the official said.

Earlier, Choudhary said it has also been decided to drop exam centres blacklisted for large-scale cheating in the past three years.

Nearly 16 lakh students will appear for the matriculation exams in March 2016.

A photograph last year showed parents and friends scaling the wall of a four-storeyed school building in Mahnar in Vaishali to help the examinees cheat. The photo went viral on social media.

Choudhary also announced stern measures to stop cheating, including installation of CCTV cameras in exam halls.