The Hindu

Bangalore, Mar 23: As many as 4,70,113 students will appear for the second pre-university examinations to be held in 679 centres across the State from Friday March 24 to April 10. Directorate of Pre-University Education officials said that 2,60,238 candidates will appear from the arts combination, 1,00,441 from commerce and 1,09,434 students from the science combination. A total of 2,55,683 candidates will take the examination in Kannada medium and 2,14,430 in English medium. While 3,60,892 students will take the examination for the first time, the number of repeaters is 92,904. In all, 16,317 students will appear as private candidates.

The PU Board has constituted 63 mobile squads to inspect the examination centres. Each centre will have a chief superintendent and a deputy superintendent. A total of 1,813 lecturers have been made members of sitting squads. Two hundred and fifty lecturers will form part of the mobile squads.

This year's examinations will have 78,593 Scheduled Caste candidates and 23,830 Scheduled Tribe candidates. There will be a total of 1,12,119 general merit candidates. Bangalore South will have the maximum of 38,258 candidates among the districts, while Kodagu will have the least: 4,770 candidates.

Besides providing for video screening at examination centres identified as sensitive and highly sensitive to malpractice cases, the directorate has also ensured tight security at these centres. The centres will also have additional sitting squads as a precaution.