Karnataka SSLC examinations: 13,468 students skip exams on first day, one debarred
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board witnessed a subdued turnout on the first day of the state board secondary school leaving certificate (SSLC) examination, which began on Monday. Out of the 8,45,811 registered students, 13,468 were absent, with one student being debarred.
The examinations for first language subjects including Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, English, and English (NCERT) were conducted on Monday. Of the total registered students, 8,32,343 appeared for the exams, resulting in an overall attendance rate of 98.41%.
Vijayapur district reported one student being debarred, while notable absenteeism was observed in other districts as well. In Kalaburagi district, 1,688 students failed to attend the exams, followed by 1,515 students in Raichur district and 1,030 students in the Bidar district.
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New trains to ease crowding on Namma Metro Purple-Green lines in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Commuters on the crowded Namma Metro Purple and Green lines may soon get relief, as the Railway Board has issued provisional sanction for induction of new train sets, Deccan Herald reported.
The Railway Board communicated the provisional sanction to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) in a letter on April 1, raising hopes that additional trains could be deployed during peak hours by May-June.
According to the Railway Board, the approval comes with conditions, including a maximum speed of 80 kmph in fully inflated mode and 25 kmph in deflated mode of the secondary air spring.
The BMRCL will also need a separate sanction from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) by submitting the Independent Safety Assessment (ISA) report confirming the trains’ integration, operation, and compatibility with the Direct To Go (DTG) signalling and train control system for the Purple and Green lines.
The BMRCL has received three DTG trains, including a prototype delivered in January 2025, for the Purple and Green lines. The trains must pass 37 statutory clearances before entering passenger service.
The BMRCL had approached the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), under the Ministry of Railways, to conduct statutory trials related to oscillation, braking, speed and system integration tests for the trains. The CMRS will issue the final sanction after receiving the ISA certificate.
Officials said the ISA certification process is already underway, with new signalling software currently being tested. Final approvals are expected by May-June, after which the trains can be introduced into service.
The new trains have been supplied by China's CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Co Ltd, which will deliver a total of 21 trains for the Purple and Green lines in partnership with the West Bengal-based Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd (TRSL). Currently, the network operates with 57 trains supplied by BEML.
