TS SSC exams begin March 14; board releases OMR samples as 5.28 lakh students prepare

The Directorate of Government Examinations (DGE) Telangana has released sample copies of the Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheet and answer booklet for the upcoming Secondary School Certificate (SSC) Public Examinations 2026. The initiative aims to familiarise students with the answer format before they enter examination halls for one of the state’s largest academic assessments.

More than 5,28,239 students are set to appear for the Class 10 board examinations this year at 2,676 examination centres across Telangana.

OMR-linked answer format to continue in 2026

The examination authority has confirmed that the OMR sheet attached to the answer booklet, introduced during the previous exam cycle, will remain in place for the March–April 2026 SSC examinations.

Under the system, students will receive an answer booklet that includes an attached OMR sheet where they must carefully fill in key details such as their hall ticket number and other identification information. The mechanism has been designed to standardise candidate data and streamline the evaluation process.

To prevent errors during the examination, officials have uploaded sample OMR sheets and model answer booklet formats on the board’s official platforms. Students have been advised to download these samples and practise filling them out before the examinations begin.

Education authorities have underlined that accuracy while entering details on the OMR sheet is critical, as mistakes in these sections can complicate the evaluation process.

Over 5.28 lakh students to appear across 2,676 centres

The SSC Public Examinations 2026 will be conducted from March 14 to April 16, covering hundreds of examination centres across the state.

The exam cycle will open on March 14 with the first language paper, including First Language Part I or Part II for students enrolled in composite courses. The second language examination will follow on March 18, while the third language (English) paper is scheduled for March 23.

For most subjects, examinations will be held between 9:30 am and 12:30 pm. The board has however noted that the schedule can be slightly different in the first language composite course papers and science examinations.

Hall tickets received in schools and WhatsApp

Already, the Telangana education board has availed the TS SSC 2026 hall tickets which have been sent to the schools in the state via speed post. Students must pick their admits in their respective schools and then the examinations begin.

The board has also made accessibility easier by allowing retrieval of hall tickets using WhatsApp.

To improve accessibility, the board has also enabled digital retrieval of hall tickets through WhatsApp. Students can access their admit cards by sending a message reading “Hi” followed by “SSC Hall Ticket March-2026” to 8096958096.

Officials say the system is intended to ensure smoother access to admit cards and prevent last-minute complications for candidates.

Exam calendar reflects consistent March schedule

Telangana has largely maintained a March examination window for the SSC board exams over the past few years. In 2025, the examinations were conducted from March 21 to April 4. The 2024 exam cycle began on March 18 and extended into April, while the 2023 examinations were held from April 3 to April 13.

The release of practice OMR formats ahead of the exams is part of the board’s broader attempt to minimise procedural errors and ensure a smoother examination process for lakhs of students appearing for the crucial Class 10 board assessments.
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