Mangalore: Despite all assurances and encouragement given to students to face their final exams. Boldly, 70 students in DK dt., and half that in Udupi Dt., were absent on Friday, the second day of PUC final tests, relating to Botany(Bio-Science) and Electronics conducted on March16.

56 examinees in Biology, and 14 in electronics examinations from DK, and 35 examinees in Biology only, from Udupi were not present in the exam hall, on Friday, it is learnt.

Nothing untoward took place, examiners said.

There was a false news about biology question paper having leaked out, and anxious parents telephoned to news paper offices in Mangalore.

The educational (district-level) officers denied the leakage. Necessary searches were conducted in two college hostels, but no evidence f leakage was available, the officers informed.