Amid tight security and meticulous monitoring, Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission group IV and VIII examinations were held in 141 centres Dindigul and 96 in Theni districts on Saturday.
In Dindigul, around 40,000 students appeared for the exams. Earlier, Dindigul Tahsildar Nataraj had sent question papers to respective centres in 131 mini-door vans with armed police escort.
Sufficient force was deployed in examination centres and 15 mobile parties and 10 flying squads were on the round to inspect examinations.
Collector N. Venkatachalam inspected an examination centre in Dindigul and advised officials to follow the commission guidelines strictly. The Group IV exam was held in the morning and group VIII exam in the evening, he added.
For the first time, video cameras were used to record proceedings in 141 examination centres accommodating 1,000 candidates. Seventeen web cameras were fitted in seven centres to monitor examination proceedings. Students were prevented from taking mobile phones and calculators into the hall.
Theni
A total of 25,098 candidates appeared for the TNPSC group IV exams in the district on the same day. Examination was peaceful in almost all the 73 centres, including 25 centres in Theni, six each in Andipatti and Bodi, 12 in Periyakulam, 24 in Uthamapalayam blocks and 6,885 candidates appeared for group VIII exams in 23 centres in the evening. A total of 93 chief invigilators, 1,250 examination supervisors in the morning, 29 chief invigilators and 347 exam supervisors in the evening were engaged. Besides, 15 flying squads and 22 mobile parties were also deployed for monitoring the exams. Web cameras were fitted in seven centres.
Candidates were also advised to attach question papers along with answer sheets and submit them to the exam hall supervisors. Collector K.S. Palanisamy inspected an examination centre at PC Convent Higher Secondary School in Theni.
The TNSTC operated special buses in this connection in the morning and in the evening. Drinking water and other basic amenities were provided in these centres.
Virudhunagar
The examination was held in 110 venues in Virudhunagar district on Saturday.
A total of 48,713 candidates had applied for the examination among whom 29 were visually challenged. The commission made arrangements to ensure that the differently-abled candidates were accommodated in the ground floor.
A total of 175 Chief Invigilators, 2,442 invigilators, 31 mobile parties and 19 flying squads were involved in the examination.
The District Collector (in-charge), R. Raju, inspected a few examination centres.
“The Commission had declared all those centres that had more than 1,000 candidates as sensitive ones.
The happenings in the centres were webcast online through which the officials at the TNPSC headquarters were able to monitor the examination proceedings,” he said.
The entire proceedings at all the centres were also videographed.
Sivaganga
In Sivaganga district, 20, 767 candidates appeared for the Group IV examination in 76 centres.
The Group VIII examination was held in 25 centres for 6, 416 candidates. The Collector, V. Rajaraman, inspected the examination centres in Mannar Duraisingam Government Arts College, St. Joseph’s Higher Secondary School, Government Girls Higher Secondary School and Marudupandiar Government Higher Secondary School.
The sensitive centres identified in the district were in Sivaganga taluk (9), Manamadurai (6), Karaikudi (3), Devakottai (1) and Tiruppattur (1). Twelve mobile teams and 12 flying squads were deployed during the examinations.
