Inter practicals from tomorrow, colleges get nod to relocate CCTVs

Hyderabad: Allaying fears of additional infrastructure costs, Telangana Board of Intermediate Education (TGBIE) on Saturday issued important clarifications regarding CCTV camera requirements for upcoming practical examinations.
BIE secretary Krishna Aditya announced that colleges could relocate existing CCTV cameras from corridors and other premises to classrooms and laboratories for the practical examinations, scheduled to begin Monday and continue until Feb 22.The announcement comes as nearly 10 lakh students, both junior and senior Intermediate, prepare to take their practical examinations across the state.
"All preparations are done, and the examinations will be conducted smoothly across colleges. We have clarified that existing cameras can be relocated from different areas in the college premises inside classrooms so that they can be connected to our centres," Aditya stated at a press briefing.
However, the Telangana Private Junior College Managements' Association expressed concerns about possible financial implications in the absence of compliant cameras. Association president G Satish emphasised that many colleges were struggling with expenses. "Cameras are expensive, and many colleges are not in a position to incur more expenses," he added.
The secretary also announced that 3,246 colleges received affiliation for the academic year 2024-25. Renewals for board affiliation were an annual affair for all colleges in the state. The board has also implemented strict measures against violations, with fines up to 10 lakh for colleges found flouting regulations, as per the 2022 order on enhancement of academic penalties.
Addressing another significant concern of private colleges, the home department has also suspended compliance requirements with the Telangana Fire Service Act for colleges in mixed-occupancy buildings. This decision follows requests from private colleges seeking one-year extension of the exception.
The board has also acknowledged a technical issue where some students from unaffiliated colleges were able to pay examination fee through the online portal. Officials assured that the glitch is being addressed and will be resolved promptly.
To enhance support to students during the examination period, the board has launched a new five-member toll-free IVR service, 9240205555. The helpline will assist students with various issues, including hall ticket downloads and exam centre details. The service will operate between 8am and 8 pm daily and is being integrated with a 'command-and-control centre' to provide real-time monitoring of examination centres.
"We are receptive to the concerns of students, and we have opened this helpline so that their grievances can be quickly resolved," TGBIE secretary Aditya explained.
The implementation of CCTV surveillance during practical examinations was part of the board's ongoing efforts to ensure transparency and prevent malpractice, and the measure remains mandatory for all examination centres.