Hyderabad: Despite protests from student organisations and opposition parties, the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TGPSC) went ahead with the Group-1 Mains examination on Monday. Security was tight at all examination centres, and restrictions were placed to control the movement of people around these areas.
Many aspirants had requested a postponement, citing issues such as ongoing court cases, insufficient preparation time, and the late release of hall tickets, especially for those in the sports quota. The delay in releasing the hall tickets caused significant problems for some candidates, with many struggling to reach their designated exam centres on time. Aspirants also expressed disappointment with the Supreme Court’s ruling, which they felt crushed their hopes. They called for a quicker hearing regarding Government Order (GO) 29, which is related to the exams.
Out of 31,382 candidates registered, 22,744 attended the first day of the exam. Hyderabad district recorded an attendance rate of 87.23%, while Medchal-Malkajgiri had a lower attendance of 67.49%. As per the Telangana High Court’s orders, an additional 20 candidates from the sports category were allowed to take the exam.
Several incidents were reported at various exam centres. In Begumpet, a female aspirant tried to jump over a wall after being denied entry for arriving late. In another case, at Koti Women’s College, some candidates got into arguments with officials, insisting that they be allowed to enter before the scheduled time.
According to TGPSC officials, this is the first time the Group-1 Mains exams are being held in the newly formed state of Telangana. On the first day, the General English qualifying test was conducted at 46 centres spread across Medchal-Malkajgiri, Rangareddy, and Hyderabad districts. The last time this exam was held was in 2011. District Collectors and police officers visited the centres to ensure that everything was in order. For the first time, GPS tracking was used to monitor the transportation of question papers. Due to the protests demanding a postponement, Section 144 was enforced near the exam centres to prevent gatherings.
Sindhu, an aspirant who took her exam at Begumpet Government Degree College, said that the qualifying paper was relatively easy. She mentioned that the uncertainty over whether the exam would be postponed caused a lot of anxiety, but she was relieved to finally take the test. Sindhu also appreciated the Supreme Court’s decision that asked the Telangana High Court to deliver its final judgment soon, with a verdict expected by November 20.
Another candidate, Shivanand, expressed his disappointment, stating, “We had hoped the Supreme Court would rule in our favour, but it didn’t. However, we are still hopeful that the High Court will rule in our favour regarding GO 29.”
Suresh, another aspirant, shared his frustration over the disruptions caused by various protests. He said the confusion affected his exam preparation. “On top of that, I got my hall ticket just one day before the exam. I live in Karimnagar, and my centre was at Loyola Junior College. The late release made it really hard to reach the centre,” he explained.
Hyderabad District Collector Anudeep Durishetty stated that there were eight exam centres in the district, accommodating a total of 5,613 candidates. During his inspection, he confirmed that all necessary arrangements were in place, including medical teams at each location and an uninterrupted power supply. Additionally, 56 personnel were appointed as identification officers, with each officer responsible for verifying the identity of 100 candidates at the entrance.
