Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady (MS)

Beltangady, Mar 14: English subject examinations for second PU students were held on Wednesday, resulting in a heavy rush of students at the bus stand as this subject is mandatory for all students. However, due to the unavailability of additional KSRTC buses, students faced inconvenience.

Despite having examination centers in their own colleges, PU examination board rules prohibit students from taking exams in the same institution. Consequently, students from Ujire, Mundaje, Kakkinje, Charmadi, and Didupe areas had to travel to Beltangady and Punjalkatte for their exams. Similarly, students from Beltangady and Punjalkatte had to journey to interior locations.

Despite changes in examination centers, KSRTC failed to arrange additional buses, exacerbating the inconvenience for students, especially when a gas tanker overturned on Shiradi Ghat.

Most colleges in the taluk are situated on the outskirts, leading to express buses bypassing these institutions. Consequently, students had to rely on slower local buses, which were already packed from the starting point.

By 9 am on Wednesday, hundreds of students were stranded at Ujire town and Beltangady bus stations, impacting daily commuters. Many students had to pay double fares for private hired vehicles to reach their examination centers on time. Parents and students expressed dissatisfaction with the PU examination board for changing rules without considering the students' difficulties.