II PUC exam: Most students find History, Biology papers easy

The first day of the II PUC examinations went off smoothly amid extra-tight security at colleges across Karnataka on Thursday.

Most of the students who appeared for Biology and History papers in 144 centres in Bengaluru found the exam easy.

Embarrassed by the leakage of question papers last year, the Department of Pre-University Education (DPUE) has prohibited students from taking the exam in their own college this time around.

While most parents and students didn’t have any complaints about the randomisation of exam centres, some like Muni Krishna had to take a day off to take his daughter to her test centre, St Anne’s Degree College for Women in Halasuru. “The security arrangements are impressive but they should have allowed students to take the exam in their own college. I did not want to send my daughter alone to a new place all by herself.”

Kavita N, a parent waiting outside Vijaya Composite PU College, Jayanagar, had another problem at hand. She was worried about a repeat of last year’s leaks.
“Taking the exams once is stressful enough. Children cannot handle the tension if they have to take it again. But now I am relaxed because the first day has gone smoothly. The government has taken good measures.”

Students said the paper was not tough. Faezah Mehreen, who took the exam at NMKRV PU College for Women in Jayanagar, was relieved that the Biology paper was easier than expected. “The questions were all from previous years’ papers. Most of us finished the paper well ahead of the time,” she said.

Sindhu D N, who took the Biology exam at KLES Pre-University College, echoed her. Yatish J took the History exam at Vijaya Composite PU College and found it easy. “It was a little lengthy but not tough. It went off smoothly.”

Since it was the first day, security guards didn’t send back students running late into the exam hall. In some colleges, students who forgot to bring their identity cards along were also excused. C Shikha, Director, Department of Pre-University Education (DPUE), however, said students would not be allowed without their ID cards henceforth.

Xerox shops open
Notices put up in colleges declared that students are under surveillance and gadgets/mobile phones are not allowed.

But, contrary to the announcement made on Wednesday by the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Tanveer Sait, photocopy centres around exam centres in Malleswaram and Rajajinagar remained open.

A man running a Xerox shop opposite MES College in Malleswaram said, “It’s our daily bread. Besides, what if there is an emergency for students themselves to get something photocopied. We are not shutting down.”

Shikha acknowledged that some photocopy shops remained open and promised to take the necessary action.

5 students debarred
At least five cases of malpractice were reported in Karnataka — three from Kalaburagi and two from Davangere. At a few exam centres, rumours that the Biology paper had leaked left some parents worried.

Shikha dismissed the rumours and asked students not to pay attention to rumour mongers. “These (rumours) are created by people wanting to extort money,” she said.

The official visited exam centres such as KLES PU College and MES PU College. She said there was no confusion about the randomisation of centres and that the exams were conducted smoothly. Sait visited a few centres around Jayanagar.

Electronics and Computer Science papers are scheduled for Friday (between 10.15 am and 1.30 pm).