Attendance shortage: Hall tickets not issued to over 1k IIPU students

Bengaluru: As many as 1,005 students will not be appearing for the second-year PU examinations starting Saturday owing to their failure to ensure 75% attendance. In accordance with the regulations laid down by the Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB) and the PU Education Department, hall tickets were not generated for students who had less than 75% attendance.

However, the number of students not appearing for the exam owing to attendance shortage is markedly lower this year – in 2025, a staggering 6,547 students could not write the examinations because of a shortfall in attendance.  

Students denied the opportunity to appear in the first round of examinations can, however, appear for the second and third rounds of the examinations, albeit as private candidates.

“There is a provision allowing principals to waive off the shortage in cases wherein the students have been absent owing to ill-health. Hall tickets have not been issued to those, the names of whom were not present on the list of students shared by principals of colleges,” said a PU Education Department official.

As many as 7,10,363 students from across 5,174 colleges have registered for the first round of the exam scheduled between February 28 and March 17. Of these, 2,82,645 students are from the Science stream, while 2,11,174 are from Commerce, and 1,42,982 students are from the Arts stream.

Meanwhile, the Department of School Education and Literacy has warned miscreants against disseminating rumours about papers being leaked. The department has reminded everyone that legal action will be initiated against those spreading such rumours.

On Saturday, students will appear for either Kannada or Arabic papers, with the examination being held between 10am to 1pm.

KSEAB will web-stream the examinations to ensure students don’t indulge in any malpractice. Students are prohibited from carrying electronic devices including mobile phones, smart watches and earphones to the examination centres. In fact, officers and staff deployed either on security or examination duty are prohibited from using their mobile phones. However, the examination centre superintendent is permitted to use a basic mobile phone that does not have an in-built camera.

Meanwhile, students are entitled to free rides on board Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation buses provided they furnish their ID cards and hall ticket.  

In a bid to help students cope with stress, KSEAB has launched a helpline – 080-23320075/76.

Attendance rule

Rule 21 of the Karnataka Education Act 2006 stipulates that students must compulsorily have 75% attendance if they are to be eligible for appearing in the final examination. This rule applies to first-year PU students and those in undergraduate postgraduate and professional courses. The Supreme Court too has issued an order mandating this requirement.