Power cuts twice during online exam in Bhandara, angry candidates call police

An online pre-entrance examination for admission to government competitive exam centres run by BARTI, SARTHI and TRTI at Bansilal Lahoti Nutan Maharashtra Vidyalaya in Bhandara was thrown into complete disarray on Tuesday after the power went out. About 125 candidates were present at the centre for the exam, which was being held to secure admission to the three institutions' government competitive exam centres, and students had travelled from far to reach the venue.

The exam was scheduled between 4.30 pm and 6.30 pm. Biometric verification of candidates was underway before the exam began when the power supply was cut. As a result, roughly half the candidates completed their biometric verification and logged in, while the rest could not log in at all. Those who had logged in had begun answering the online question paper and the exam process was under way.

Around 5.50 pm, with some candidates having answered five or six questions, the power went out again. It returned after about an hour and a quarter, around 6.05 pm. Once power was restored, the centre's administrators decided to continue the exam, but candidates strongly opposed this. With the power having failed twice, the exam process had been disrupted for most candidates, causing widespread discontent among them.

The two power cuts caused a major disruption to the exam process, and many candidates could not take the exam within the scheduled time. Candidates insisted that the exam be cancelled and held afresh. Those who had travelled from far away were particularly upset, and a significant number of them were girls. With the exam running late, they were worried about their journey home, fearing that delays would upset their onward travel plans.

Candidates sought a written assurance from the centre's administrators that the exam would be held again. When no immediate solution was reached, chaos broke out in the area around the exam centre. A large crowd had gathered outside the centre by 7 pm. Police were eventually called to the spot to bring the situation under control.

Candidates have expressed frustration over recurring technical and other disruptions in the conduct of government competitive exams. This same exam centre had earlier seen chaos over a question paper during another exam. Questions are now being raised about the centre's planning, technical arrangements and backup power provisions. Candidates had not received clear information by late in the evening on when the exam would be rescheduled, leaving their unease unresolved.