From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Mar 31: A record number of 8.75 lac students all over Karnataka will appear for the SSLC examination throughout the State from April 1 till April 13.
Elaborate arrangements have been for the students to appear for their crucial examinations at 2,951 centres all over the State from Friday April 1.
Compared to last year, a total of 53,000 more students would appear for the examination this year, according to Primary and Secondary Education Minister Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri.
The minister said the district administrations in the State have been specially empowered to impose prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC in and around 200 metre radius of the SSLC examination centres in all districts to prevent any malpractice.
Pointing out that the SSLC Examination Board was keen to ensure that there was no hitch of any kind and also to see that the students were given sufficient time to read the question papers carefully before starting to write the answers, the minister said the students would be given an additional 15 minutes to read the question paper thoroughly before writing answers to questions as was done last year.
Following complaints of inferior print quality of question papers last year, the minister said officials have been directed to maintain print quality of question papers this year.
Apart from deplyoing mobile squads, the district and taluk level officials have been directed to take steps to prevent malpractices during the two-week long examination.
Kageri appealed to parents not to ``torture” or exert undue pressure on their sons and daughters in their preparation for examinations because all students would be keen to face the examinations and come out with flying colours.
299 PUC Students Debarred for Exam Malpractices
The minister said as many as 299 students were debarred during the examination for indulging in malpractices in the just concluded Pre-University Examinations in the State.
The highest number of students were debarred from Bijapur (56) while not a single student was debarred from Bangalore South, Chikmagalur, Ramangaram, Uttara Kannada and Kodagu districts.
Despite threats from teachers to boycott evaluation, Kageri claimed that all preparations would be made to commence evaluation of answer scripts from April 8.
Teachers have threatened to boycott evaluation of answer scripts seeking removal of pay-scale disparity in aided and government school teachers and implementation of the sixth pay commission pay-scales.
Kageri said Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has announced constitution of a committee for implementation of sixth pay commission recommendations.
The department would also constitute a panel headed by a secretary to study demands of teachers and submit a report to the Chief Minister seeking revision in pay scale, the minister said.
Asked about donation menace in private educational institutions, he appealed to parents to submit complaints to the department or to panels headed by the Deputy Commissioners in each districts. Names of the complainants would be kept secret, he promised
To a question on the demand for opening new private high schools, Kageri said the department has received many applications and the permission would be given to those who fulfil the criteria. The department had permitted 150 high schools in the private sector last year.