After a two-year hiatus owing to the covid-19 pandemic, Class 12 students will appear for offline Board examinations set to commence from Thursday in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The exams will be held from May 5 to May 28,
School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi on Tuesday said the students are requested to wear masks while writing their exams, however, it is not mandatory.
Nearly 8.37 lakh students will take their exams on Thursday. The total students comprise 5.03 lakh from the science stream, 2.70 lakh from commerce, 14,885 from arts and 47,882 from vocational stream.
According to the Directorate of Government Examinations (DGE), a total of 3,119 centers have been set up to conduct the exams. The total students include 28,353 private candidates and 3,638 differently-abled.
In Chennai, 46,785 Class XII students would be taking the exams.
As many as 73 candidates in prison, including 66 male inmates and seven females, would also be taking the examins at the centers in Vellore, Cuddalore, Salem, Coimbatore, Madurai, Pudukkotai, Palayamkottai, Tiruchirapalli and Puzhal in Chennai.
The government has provided adequate protection with armed police to safeguard the 279 strong rooms round the clock. A total of 4,291 members of the Flying Squad and Standing Squad would be inspecting the centers during the exams.
Communication devices have been strictly barred inside the examination hall. The DGE noted that strict action would be initiated against students and teachers if they are found with a mobile phone or any communication inside the hall.
If the students are found indulging in any malpractices during the course of the exam, it would be considered a “severe crime”, and due action would be initiated against them.
The examination centers have been equipped with facilities such as drinking water, electricity and proper toilets.
It is to be noted that the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (Tangedco) has issued a circular directing the chief engineers of all the distribution regions to maintain uninterrupted power in examination centers form May 5 to May 31.
The officials have been directed to ensure that there are no power cuts even during the night hours in this period, enabling students to prepare for their examination.
A control room has been set up by the DGE. Parents, students and other public can dial 94983 83081/94983 83075 to raise any queries or complaints related to the exam. The control room will operate from 8 am till 8 pm.