Hyderabad: Inter exams begin, 4.82L students appear on day-1

Hyderabad: The Intermediate First year exam began on Wednesday with the Second language paper-I. Out of 5,05,625 candidates who registered for the exam 4, 82,427 candidates appeared for the exam and only 4.58 per cent could not write the exam.

According to TSBIE, overall the first exam was conducted peacefully and no untoward incidents were reported across Telangana.But despite of TSBIE order that no entry would be given to students even if they are late by one minute, students who reached late to the exam centres were sent back home.

Feeling pity that their students were not allowed to write the exam as they were late, few parents demanded the Education department to give a grace period of 5 minutes.

However, the TSBIE claims that all arrangements were in place and students were given the centre location app, but when observed the centres were not allotted within 5 km radius. Parents said that this was one of the major reason for their students to reach their centres late as they were stuck in traffic jam.

Meanwhile, in one of the centre, hall ticket number chart pasted for the students to know their hall number was incorrect, leading to anxiety in students before appearing the exam. Writing pads were also not allowed in few centres.

Asif Hussain Sohail, president of Telangana Parents Association for Child Rights and Safety, said "The one minute rule implemented by the TSBIE is non-ethical as the centres allotted to the students for the exams is far from their home. The TSBIE should atleast give a grace time of 5 minutes so that the students can attend their exam with a peaceful mind," he added.

"When our neighboring state Andhra Pradesh gives a grace time of 10 minutes to their students, then why can't the TSBIE give us grace time. We are not sure whether our child will be able to reach the centre on time everyday, due to various reasons like traffic, accidents and others. Hence the TSBIE must give a grace time for 5 to 10 minutes, said a parent.

Opinion of students

This was my first public examination and I was a little nervous onto how would the question paper appear. The second language paper-I appeared very easy and I hope the all the exams go well," said Grace, first-year intermediate student.

I was late to my exam centre by one minute due to bad roads. But I could attend the exam after pleading the examiners.

While two of my other friends were sent back home as they reached the centre 5 minutes late, said Sravani, another student.