A total of 36,442 Plus One students from all four educational districts - Madurai, Usilampatti, Melur, Tirumangalam - wrote their language paper as the board examinations began here on Wednesday.

Chief Education Officer K. Swaminathan said there were 1,918 absentees and special arrangements had been made for the visually impaired and differently abled students to ensure that nothing hinders their performance. Although 229 private candidates had registered to write the examinations this year, 29 only were present.

A total of 35,632 students wrote the Tamil examination. S. Janaki, a teacher in Melur Boys Higher Secondary School, said her students had found the paper easy and they were able to answer questions comfortably since they had written several model question papers.

A. Mohammed Ansari, one of the six students, who attended the Arabic examination from Al-Ameen Higher Secondary School, said the question paper was easy and practice in model question papers was useful. “We had no questions out of the syllabus,” he said.

J. Nagarjun of Sethupathi Higher Secondary School, said the comprehension paragraphs would ensure that even those who found the subject difficult could pass it. “Only a few two-mark questions were difficult. Top scorers can surely get more than 90 marks without putting in too much effort,” he said.

Students wrote the examinations at 120 halls across the district. Static surveillance squads and flying squads with over 200 teachers were appointed to prevent malpractices.

Students will be writing their English paper on March 6.