Gujarat board exams: Nagar Yatra noise upsets SSC students in three schools

Ahmedabad: More than 1,000 students faced difficulties on Wednesday as a Nagar Yatra, taken out for the first time from the Bhadra Kali Mata temple, passed through the Walled City, coinciding with the ongoing Class 10 and 12 board exams. Out of 32 exam centres located along the procession route, students at three centres were significantly affected.Although police made elaborate security and traffic arrangements to ensure smooth movement and timely arrival of students, those inside exam halls experienced disturbance due to loud drum beats and sound systems accompanying the procession. The issue was reported at Anjuman School, Raikhad Girls High School and FD Girls High School, where nearly 1,140 Class 10 students wrote their exams.
At around 10am, as the procession passed closed to these centres, the sound of Nasik dhol groups and loudspeakers reportedly disrupted the exam environment. As per rules, loudspeakers are prohibited within 100m of exam centres, but residents allegedly played high-volume speakers for nearly an hour near one centre.While no student faced problems reaching their centres, many reported mental stress during the exam due to the continuous noise amid already high exam pressure.