12.5 lakh students to appear for Class X exam in AP

Vijayawada, Mar 22: About 12.5 lakh students (boys and girls) in Andhra Pradesh, will appear for the Class X examination beginning from March 24, Backward Class Welfare and School Education Minister C Damodar Rajanarsimha said today.

Addressing a press conference here, he said all arrangements have been completed for the smooth conduct of the exam. Besides sitting squads, about 300 flying squads would be deployed across 5,591 examination centres where malpractices were reported during last year's examination.

Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the IPC would be clamped in the areas surrounding the examination centres, the minister said mobile phones, either by students or invigilators, would not be allowed inside the examination hall.

Helpline centres have been set up in every district throughout the state for the benefit of the students to clear their doubts, if any with the officials present at the centre, he informed.

A programme called 'Success' would be introduced by infusing an amount of Rs 1,000 crore every year, to create additional infrastructure in high schools, he said adding that 75 per cent of the amount would be borne by the Centre.

The state government, in order to strengthen 640 residential schools, would spent an amount of Rs 6,000 crore, he said adding that the mid-day meal scheme being implemented in all the high schools in backward mandals of the state, would be extended up to Class X in all the districts from next year.

The minister also announced that the new District Selection Committee (DSC) for recruitment of teachers would be announced shortly.

Backward Class Welfare Minister Mukesh Goud, present at the press meet said the state government would provide loans at three per cent (25 paise) interest, under self-employment scheme to BC unemployed youth for setting up small-scale industries and business ventures.

UNI