Bengaluru: The Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination began on Thursday, with first language on day one, and there were no reports of any malpractice, question paper leaks or errors in the question paper in the city.

However, there was some confusion regarding examination centres and one student, Gulshan Ara, a private candidate, even failed to make it.

According to Gulshan, a resident of Malleswaram, she had registered as a candidate at government girl’s high school, 13th Main. However, the KSEEB allotted her examination centre at Vyalikaval Educational Society School, located 2 nearly kilometres away from this centre.

“I was informed that I will be provided examination centre where I had applied for. But I was allotted another school and I come to know only after coming to the examination centre. By the time I reached Vyalikaval Educational Society it was already 10.45 am and I missed the exam,” she said.

The KSEEB officials said that the student can appear for the supplementary examination, which will be conducted in the last week of July.

They contended that hall tickets were issued in advance to avoid such confusion.

“Moreover, there is not much distance between these two examination centres. If the candidate had arrived early she could have written the examination,” he added.

Poor seating
When KSEEB Director Yashoda Bopanna inspected the Government Girl’s High School, 13th main, Malleswaram, she was upset with the seating arrangements, as the candidates were seated close to each other. She lashed out at the head master and ensured that the seating arrangement was reworked.

First language test easy: Students
Even though students supposed to reach the examination centre by 9.30 am, many arrived at 9 am itself. Most students were accompanied by their parents, who were also anxious about the new examination pattern.

According to the students on day 1, examination was very easy. “It was the first language like Kannada, English, Urdu, Marathi, Tamil etc. Examination was for 125 marks. It was very easy,” said Saraswati Kumari, a student who appeared at Malleswaram Government High School.

Many students informed that for the first time they were allotted centres in nearby schools, instead of their own schools.

This year the question papers and answer booklets were given separately. “It was good. I can go home and find out how I have performed in the examination,” said Shailaja, another student.