Mysore/Mysuru: The SSLC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) or Class 10 State Board exam (2020-21) began in the city this morning amidst a festive fervour with most of the Schools specially decorated with flowers, buntings, balloons, floral rangolis etc., to welcome students appearing for the exam, which is being held under special circumstances due to the COVID pandemic.  Also, some institutions and organisations presented roses to students and wished them good luck.

The exam is being held only on two days (July 19 and 22) probably for the first time ever, with a changed pattern of exam and the students have to write the exam on OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) sheets provided by the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB), which is conducting the exam.

Today, the first paper was held in the morning session from 10.30 am to 1.30 pm on core subjects of Maths, Science, Social Science, Sociology, Economics, Political Science, Hindustani/Karnatak Music. In the afternoon session (2.30 pm to 5 pm), the exam will take place on subjects such as Elements of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering-2, Engineering Graphics-2, Elements of Electronics Engineering and Elements of Computer Science.

On July 22, the exam will be held for First language, Second language, Third language and NSQF subjects.

The exam is being held in 237 centres across the district, including 72 in Mysuru city alone, with all Government SOPs and COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) in place at all centres. The exam halls were sanitised for ensuring the safety and health  of students.

In Mysuru district, a total of 38,989 students, including 37,474 regular, 1,081 private and 434 repeater students had registered for the exam. 

All the students underwent thermal screening, Oximeter checking and hand sanitisation before they were allowed entry to the halls from 9 am   itself. ASHA workers, other health workers and volunteers of multiple organisations helped the Education Department in checking the health of students. In case, students  displayed COVID symptoms during the check, they would be  directed to other rooms, which were reserved for the purpose. Only 12 students were allowed to write the exam in a room.

Tight security around Centres

The question papers, which were kept in tightly sealed covers at the Treasury in the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, were dispatched to all the exam centres  a couple of hours ahead in designated  vehicles on  assigned 12 routes covering all the centres — which included four for the city and eight for taluk centres — under tight security with Armed Police personnel accompanying the vehicles. 

Deputy Commissioner Dr. Bagadi Gautham himself supervised the dispatch of the question paper bundles.

The students appearing for the exam too seemed to show no anxiety or fears and parents/ guardians who had accompanied them, were seen motivating them with last minute tips. The visually challenged children were provided with scribes by the exam authorities.

Squads led by DDPI Dr. Panduranga and other Nodal Officers went around the centres to oversee the conduct of the exam.

Dr. Panduranga told Star of Mysore that the exams went off peacefully and without any untoward incidents.

Maintaining that the Depart-ment had made all necessary arrangements for ensuring the safety, health and well-being of children, he hoped that the second paper on July 22 too will pass off peacefully.

Meanwhile, the Police had provided tight security around all the exam centres. The city Police had clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 Cr.PC in 200 Mt. radius around all the exam centres and no one, except the examinees and exam staff were allowed to move around  in the vicinity. Also, all photocopy shops in the vicinity of all the centres have been asked to shut down.