SSC examinations: Hindi question paper sent instead of Telugu to exam centre in Mancherial

Mancherial: A major mix-up occurred on the first day of the SSC examinations on March 21, 2025, when Hindi question papers were mistakenly delivered to Zilla Parishad High School (Boys) in Mancherial, Telangana, instead of the intended Telugu papers.

Officials at the exam centre were shocked to discover the error after opening a sealed box containing the question papers. Upon realizing the mix-up, the officials returned the Hindi papers, and Education Department authorities were informed and arrived at the centre to investigate.

The confusion led to a delay of approximately 90 minutes, as the correct Telugu question papers had to be located. According to the District Educational Officer and District Collector of Mancherial, 49 exam centres were established across the district, with a total of 9,410 students scheduled to take the exam.

The scheduled examination for Telugu, Urdu, and Hindi was to be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. However, at Centre No. 03015, Z.P. High School (Boys), the Chief Superintendent and Departmental Officer had collected the question papers from the police station at 8:00 a.m. Unfortunately, they retrieved a trunk box containing Hindi question papers meant for Day-2 instead of the Telugu papers. After searching other boxes, the correct papers were located, but the error caused a delay of about 1.5 hours.

The exam was eventually held from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with students being provided snacks to compensate for the lost time. The Hindi question paper for Day-2 remained unopened and sealed.

As a result of the mistake, Chief Superintendent Mir Safdar Ali Khan and Departmental Officer N.R. Padmja have been suspended for negligence in carrying out their duties.

Despite the delay, the 10th-grade exams continued as planned, with students across Telangana expected to sit for their exams until April 4, 2025. The state government has made extensive arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of exams, including the deployment of CCTV cameras, police security, and the imposition of Section 144 around examination centres.

The exam schedule remains in place, with the exams running from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily. Students have been advised to reach their centres by 8:30 a.m. to avoid delays and ensure the timely commencement of exams. Authorities have also reminded students to bring their hall tickets and necessary materials to the exam centres.