The government has made all arrangements for the smooth conduct of the APPSC Group-II examinations on Oct 15 and 16 across the state as scheduled earlier.

In the backdrop of the on going mass general strike in all Telangana districts including Hyderabad city, the government has ordered full police protection at all examination centers to ensure smooth conduct of the examinations.

APPSC secretary Ms Poonam Malakondaiah told media persons that four lakh candidates are taking the examinations being held at 1064 centers in the entire state. Out of total number of 4 lakh candidates, 2 lakh candidates are from the Telangana area. “There are 204 examination centers in the Telangana area,” she said.

She said the APPSC is using carbonless OMR sheets for the first time on a trial basis and the candidates cannot use pencil this time. “They have to use ball pens compulsorily,” she said.

Ms Malakondaiah warned that if any candidate violates rules and guidelines in the examination centers, he or she would be permanently barred from writing the APPSC examinations in the future.