BENGALURU: Apart from the stress of exam, students appearing for Pre University II final exams at a centre in Bengaluru also have to deal with the lack of amenities at the centre.
The exam centre at Government PU College in K R Puram accommodates around 250 students from nearby colleges but it lacks basic facilities. Students complained that they were finding it difficult to write the exams due to poor lighting, mosquitoes and stench from toilets.
“We manage to kill mosquitoes and concentrate on the paper, but how can we write without light? The classrooms have no electricity,” said a student from New Horizon PU college who is writing exams at the centre.
In some exam rooms, students even lit up mosquito coils and were seen carrying repellant creams. “We requested the invigilators to keep the coils near the door and they allowed us to do the same,” another student said.
Students and their parents had brought these issues to the notice of the principal before the exams had begun but they were not rectified. “As soon as we received my son’s admission ticket, we visited the exam centre to find the easiest route to reach there. We were shocked to see that the rooms were stinking, had mosquitoes and stray dogs were seen loitering in the campus,” said a parent.
Even invigilators have faced problems. Many complained that there is no drinking water facility and the washrooms are locked, forcing them to use a public toilet nearby. “It is a mess. Even after requesting the principal, they did not provide us with drinking water. We can’t leave the exam hall to go get water. The washrooms are closed or they are unclean. The stench is unbearable,” said an invigilator.
The garbage dumped near the premises only adds to the stench. “If I close the window, then it gets too dark. So I’m forced to write my exams with the smell of garbage coming in. I’m scared that I’ll fall sick even before the exam concludes,” said a student.
Officials from Pre University Education department said they have not received any complaints and will send a team for inspection on Tuesday.