CHENNAI: More than 7.7 lakh students will write the Class 12 board examinations that begins with the language paper on Friday in 3,302 centres across the state. Last year 8.5 lakh students had registered to appear for the exams.
Out of 7.7 lakh students, 4.1 lakh are girls, 3.6 lakh are boys and one transgender. Speaking about the drop in numbers, school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said that it could be due to students opting to enrol in polytechnic and ITI institutes.
“Since students can also enrol in engineering colleges after completing polytechnic or ITI courses, students are preferring it,” he said.
Last year, 7.8 lakh students had written Class 11 exams, of which 7.02 lakh had passed. He added that all facilities including toilets and drinking water have been ensured in examination centres.
The number of private candidates writing the examinations is 21,875 and jail inmates are 235. There are 7,534 higher secondary schools in the state. About 3,200 flying squad members, 1,135 standing squad members and 43,200 hall invigilators will oversee the exams.