Hyderabad, Feb 28 (IANS) Nearly 10 lakh students of Class 11 and 12 in Telangana are attending the Intermediate public examinations which began across Telangana on Wednesday.

The Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) is conducting the annual exams at 1,521 centres across 33 districts.

Intermediate first year (Class 11) exams began on Wednesday with the second language Paper 1 exam while the second-year exams will start on Thursday.

A total of 9,80,978 students have applied for the exams. While 4,78,718 students are appearing for the first-year exams, 5,02,260 students will write second year exams. Prohibitory orders under section 144 Cr.P.C. were imposed around the exam centres. The authorities also ordered closure of photocopy shops near the exam centres.

As candidates were directed to report to the exam centre an hour before the start of the exam, those reaching late were not allowed in. A few students, who failed to reach on time, were seen breaking down after they were denied entry into the exam halls.

The TSBIE is not allowing mobile phones or any electronic gadget into the exam centres.

The Board has deployed 27,900 invigilators for the smooth conduct of the exams. It also constituted 75 flying quads and 200 sitting squads to check copying. The officials have taken several precautionary measures in view of the paper leakage in the past. The intermediate exams will continue till March 19.