Shimoga: A total of 18,252 students (7,146 from arts, 5,883 from commerce and 5,223 students from science) will appear for their II PU exams in the district, to be held from March 12 to 27.

Deputy Director of Pre-University Education H. Indumathi told The Hindu that the exam would be held in 32 centres in the district: seven centres in Bhadravati taluk; four in Sagar; three each in Tirthahalli and Shikaripur taluks; and two each in Shimoga, Hosanagar and Sorab taluks.

A chief superintendent and assistant chief superintendent will be appointed for each centre to monitor exams. Ten vigilance squads will be formed in the district to avert malpractice, each squad comprising one principal and three lecturers.
Paper leak

It may be mentioned here that in 2012, the question paper for maths was leaked, resulting in the postponement of the exam. Ms. Indumathi said a special squad had been formed to avoid this. In addition, prohibitory orders will be clamped in a 200-m radius around exam centres.

The department had introduced National Core Curriculum for the science stream last year, modelled on the CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) syllabus. This is the first batch of students taking their II PU exams after the introduction of the new syllabus.

To help students prepare, the department had provided model question papers with solved answers for physics, chemistry, maths and biology in booklet form. A booklet to guide students on the practical vivas was also provided in the district, she added.