The Board examinations for Class XII in Puducherry and Karaikal began on Thursday. The students appeared for the Language - I paper across 33 centres in the two regions. Of which, 26 centres are in Puducherry.
Several schools conducted special prayers and students had arrived early to attend the examination.
The examination began at 10 a.m. The students were given 15 minutes time to read the question paper and for verification of particulars. The duration of examination was till 1.15 p.m.
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According to a senior officer in the Department of School Education, a total of 17,570 students, including 8,556 boys and 9,014 girls are writing the examination this year. The total also includes 279 private candidates.
In the 53 government schools in Puducherry, a total of 5,384 students (2,149 boys and 3,235 girls) and a total of 7,834 students (4,020 boys and 3,814 girls) from private schools are appearing for the examination.
In Karaikal, a total of 628 boys and 923 girls from government schools and 419 boys and 472 girls from private schools are writing the examination.
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The Department of School Education has deployed six squads, 62 officers standing squads, 30 members including police and officers from the department as route officers; and seven flying squads headed by the Joint Director of School Education.
There were nearly 1045 hall supervisors in the 33 examination centres. Belt, shoes, cellphone and other electronic devices were not allowed in the examination halls. A senior official in the Department of School Education stated that there were no malpractices reported on the first day of the board examination.
Class XII students began their board examination with an easy language paper. Malicha, a Class XII student, studying in Vivekananda Higher Secondary School in Lawspet said that the language -I question paper was easy and she wrote the exam extremely well.