Dharwad/ Belagavi: The first day of the PUC second year annual examination went smoothly.
The hijab controversy, which had cast its shadow in the exams, did not come in the way. District deputy directors of pre-university education said no malpractice was reported from any center in the region. The students of the commerce stream who appeared for the business studies paper on the first day said the paper was a mix of easy and tough questions.
In Dharwad district, where the examination was held in 42 centers, 7,276 out of 7,618 candidates registered for business studies appeared for the exam and 342 were absent. One candidate registered for the logic paper was present.
As many as 3,707 students out of 3,892 turned up for the exam in Haveri district.
In Vijayapura, out of 3,696 students, 3,503 appeared and 193 were absent. In Ballari district 4,187 candidates out of 4,399 appeared and 72 students registered for logic were present. Vijayanagar district saw 2726 candidates out of 2,860 appearing for the exam and 57 out of 62 for logic turning up.
In Benagavi district, 51,853 students took exams in 90 different centres.
According to the department’s data, 24,046 students took the exam in Belagavi academic district and 27,807 in Chikkodi academic district. On the first day, as many as 350 students did not show up for the exam.
To ensure peace, the administration has imposed Section 144 within 200 metres of the exam centres.
Students wearing hijabs removed them at the special room reserved for the purpose, and then took the exam.
The exams went on smoothly on the first day with no untoward incidents or protests reported in the district.