After repeated postponement and rescheduling of the All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE), the examination eventually held on Wednesday confronted many hitches.
Many students were denied entry into SBOA School and Junior College, the examination centre, as they had not registered online between May 2 and May 5 as per the notification of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
The exam initially scheduled to be held on May 1 was postponed to May 11, following reports of a question paper leak. According to the CBSE website, 262 students were scheduled to take the exam on May 11 in Chennai.
Many did not know that there was only one examination centre – the SBOA School and Junior College in Anna Nagar – for those taking the test on Wednesday. Many reached the centres they were originally allotted for the May 1 examination.
Mohamed Iqbal reached DAV Higher Secondary School, Gopalapuram, at 8.30 a.m. from where he was redirected to the school in Anna Nagar. “I got information about the change in date but not the centre,” said the Class XII student who on reaching the centre in Anna Nagar found that his roll number was not listed on the notice board. Agitated parents and students blocked the road outside SBOA School. They also complained of lack of response from the CBSE helpline number and the local office.
Waiting for his son who took the examination, K. Subbiah of Tuticorin considered himself lucky to have noticed the registration procedure on the website. “Luckily, I came across the notification on May 6, though it was past the date. I immediately sent a fax to the CBSE office. The authorities promptly responded, and today morning I received an SMS regarding the change of centre and ID,” he said.
According to CBSE officials, students who could not appear on May 1 because of administrative reasons were allotted the same centres and roll numbers, whereas those who had appeared for the Armed Forces Medical College and missed AIEEE had to register online.
“Clear instruction had been passed on to students through the media and websites. No re-test would be conducted for the students who could not follow this procedure,” said Vineet Joshi, Chairman, CBSE.
