Inter Exams Off to a Bumpy Start

Hyderabad: The first-year Intermediate public examinations got off to a rough start, with students across the state facing unexpected challenges ranging from late entry denial to abrupt change in examination centres on Day 1.

As many as 4.7 lakh students appeared for their second language paper on Wednesday. Lack of preparation by authorities at a centre in SR Nagar caused panic and confusion among students, as the exam centre did not display students’ numbers.

An abrupt change in the examination centre was also done with regard to the Sri Chaitanya College in Jubilee Hills, prompting the chief secretary of the higher education department, Burra Venkatesham, to order an immediate inquiry into the matter.

Most of the other issues pertained to denial of late entry even by a minute, as officials sought to stringently enforce the rules. Such instances were observed at the Mahboobia College, Siddipet Government College, Cambridge Junior College in Quthbullapur, Mahbubabad Government Junior College, Siddharta Junior College in Vikarabad, and Patancheru Government Junior College in Sangareddy.

Traffic jams near examination centres compounded the issue, causing delays and parking problems during morning rush hours, extending to noon.

Officials, however, said that despite localised challenges, the overall conduct of the exams remained relatively smooth across the state, with 1,521 centres operating across 33 districts.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC were enforced around examination centres and measures were taken to ensure the closure of photocopy shops near exam centres.

The Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) prohibited mobile phones and electronic gadgets into the examination centres, with 27,900 invigilators deployed alongside 75 flying quads and 200 sitting squads to prevent malpractice.

With the Intermediate exams set to continue until March 19, authorities remain vigilant, emphasising the importance of maintaining the integrity and fairness of the examination, especially following last year's paper leak debacle.