PU paper leak: Students in anger, tears and frustration

Bengaluru: The frustrated voices of hundreds of students were heard above the walls of the PU building in the heart of Malleswaram, early Thursday morning. They sat in front of the building and watched the police draw a line between them and the PU building. "Why are they treating us like terrorists? The Board couldn't even protect a single question paper," said Shalini KS, while her son stood behind her and watched the chaos unfold before his eyes.
Students began pouring in, some directly from their centres, to protest the torture the board was putting them through.Gaping holes were visible on the flimsy glass of the building as students pelted stones, demanding that the officials come out of hiding.
"The Board is playing with our careers. How can I concentrate on other entrance exams with chemistry on my mind? I'm sure I would have done well today, but the third attempt might be tough. We don't want to write the paper again." said Keerthi Raj Reddy, who was shouting slogans with a group of 20 students from his institute.
The scorching heat did not hinder the frustrated crowd from swelling and shouting louder. "I stayed up all night to study and anxiously waited to finish exams today. I could have wept when my mother said the paper had leaked again. Chemistry is not the kind of paper that can be answered again and again. It is so difficult to remember equations," said Aasheshitaa DS, who was accompanied by her mother.
Amid students and their parents protesting, a JD(S) worker sneaked into the main building and climbed up on the roof, threatening to jump off if the paper was rescheduled.
"What is he trying to do? Our children are already suffering because of the ruckus in the education system," said Vijay, a parent, pointing to the JD(S) man who was leaning dangerously over the edge. He was quickly pulled over by police.
"We are feeling so helpless right now. I work in Hassan and have taken a lot of leave for my daughter. I have no faith in the system and am sure the paper might be leaked the third time too," said Stany Mascarenhas, who works with Isro, Hassan.
By late afternoon, the crowd had thinned out as the date for a re-exam was announced. An elderly woman, Shashi Kala, whose grandson studies in Chikkamagaluru, was the last to walk out. She said, "I cannot imagine what he must be going through. This is so unfair."
IT IS A JOKE NOW
My CET coaching starts tomorrow. I'm staying in Yelahanka for a month. I have no idea how I will prepare for that with the chemistry paper pending. The Board has turned our future into a joke. - Vaishnavi Tiwari | student
We forgave them once for the paper leak and were willing to take the paper again. I took it as a chance to prepare better. But they are torturing us now. - Akhil N | student
Plans go for a toss
Mangaluru: The exam paper leak, and subsequent cancellation, has put an NRI student into a quandary. Monisha (name changed) from PU College was to write the chemistry exam on Thursday and fly out to the Gulf the same evening as she had to renew her visa in two days. Sources close to her said she planned to go abroad as soon as exams were over, renew her visa and return for the CET exam. "She is inconsolable now as the exam has been postponed a second time," a source added.
Dayanand Prabhu came all the way from Kannur, Kerala, to Mangaluru, to finally finish all the PU exams, but returned, disappointed. "My son has been unwell the past few months, and travelled 150km, only to learn the exam is cancelled," said his mother, adding it would be difficult for Dayanand to prepare for other competitive exams.