Pics: Spoorthi Ullal/Thejaswi U Poojary
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru/Udupi
Mangaluru/Udupi, Mar 18: The SSLC examinations commenced on Wednesday March 18 in Dakshina Kannada (DK) and Udupi districts.
In Dakshina Kannada district, a total of 29,397 students have registered to appear for the examinations this year. Candidates from 524 high schools will write the examinations at 91 centres across the district. Seating arrangements have been made for 24 candidates in each room at the examination centres, with facilities arranged in 1,298 rooms. A total of 2,428 officials and staff have been deployed.
Mangaluru
Udupi
Earlier on Tuesday, officials and staff carried out all necessary preparations at the examination centres, including affixing registration numbers. The examinations will continue until April 2. Webcasting of the examination process will be carried out. Officials have also stated that students coming to the examination centres will be provided free travel in government buses.
This year, at the Padua centre, a special student will write the examination while sitting on the floor. DDPI Shashidhar stated that this arrangement has been made following a request from the student’s parents.
A total of 14,151 students have registered for the examinations in Udupi district, including 7,353 boys and 6,798 girls. Among them, 13,516 are fresh candidates, 295 are regular repeaters, 293 are private candidates, and 47 are private repeaters.
The examinations are being conducted in 51 centers across the district. Of these, 15 centers are located in Udupi, 11 in Brahmavar, 9 in Karkala, and 8 each in Byndoor and Kundapur. Altogether, 686 examination rooms have been designated for the purpose.
To maintain transparency and prevent malpractice, CCTV cameras have been installed in all examination centers and their premises. A robust team of around 1,350 officials and staff has been deployed, including 51 chief superintendents, 11 deputy chief superintendents, 51 question paper custodians, 748 room invigilators, 51 local vigilance squad members, and 51 mobile seizure officers. In addition, special vigilance mechanisms have been put in place. These include three district-level vigilance teams comprising six members and five taluk-level vigilance teams with ten members. Five zonal examination nodal officers, 22 route officers for secure transportation of question papers, and 129 police personnel have also been deployed to ensure strict monitoring and security.
Basic facilities such as drinking water have been arranged at all centers. Medical staff have also been stationed at examination venues to handle any emergencies and ensure the well-being of students.
Registration numbers along with classroom details were displayed outside the centres for the convenience of candidates. On the first day, students appeared for their First Language paper, which began at 10 am.
A prohibitory order has been enforced within a 100-metre radius of all examination centres, and photocopy shops in the vicinity will remain closed during examination hours to prevent any unfair practices. The district administration, zilla panchayat and the department of school education and literacy have taken all necessary measures to ensure that students can write their exam without any disruption.
In Udupi city, six evaluation centers have been set up for the assessment process. Six administrators have been appointed to oversee these centers, where a total of 1,512 evaluators will assess the answer scripts.
Superintendents of examination centres, supervisors, officials of the local vigilance squad, mobile seizure officers, district and taluk vigilance squads, and examination nodal officers have been deployed. Students are prohibited from bringing mobile phones and smartwatches to the examination centres.
Free travel arrangements have been made through KSRTC buses for all students, including those coming from rural areas, to travel to and from the examination centres. Students can travel by showing their hall tickets. Instructions have also been issued to ensure bus stoppages near the examination centres.