The Hindu Business Line : Organisers play their role to the hilt

Coimbatore, Nov. 8 Exams — whether they are school tests, college exams or entrance tests for jobs — have all the usual ingredients of anxiety and stress writ large over a number of faces — both for applicants and their families.

And so it was this morning at various venues here as eager young applicants came in buses and autorickshaws and two-wheelers to write their entrance tests for the SBI clerical examination.

Turnout

Despite the inclement weather, a good number of candidates reached their respective centres well within the cut-off time (9.15 am). Some of them were accompanied by anxious parents, or a husband/ spouse. One could even spot a child clinging on to his father, while watching the mother leave to take up the test.

The rain played spoilsport, but not for long. The organisers took a lenient stance and allowed candidates to proceed to their respective halls even if they were late by 15 – 30 minutes during the morning session.

Attendance was said to be about 70 per cent.

In Coimbatore, the test was conducted in 12 venues (educational institutions) and around 600 officers (300 from the college and 300 SBI officers) were deployed to take care of the arrangement and smooth conduct of the test.

“We are conducting the test in batches of 5,740 a session. The attendance was good with 3,881 candidates appearing for the test in the morning session and 4,046 during the second session, averaging around 69 per cent on the first Sunday,” an SBI official told Business Line.

WELL-PREPARED

The organisers allowed the candidates to enter the hall if they came with the call letter or an e-mail copy of the same.

“We had also arranged for taking an instant photograph of the candidate at each of the venues if they came without a picture. We meticulously planned each arrangement, so that the candidate is not inconvenienced or forced to return because he/she did not carry a photograph,” the official said.

That might have sounded like a usual boast — except that it was proved true a few minutes later.

Just as we were discussing the arrangements, a candidate came up stating that he had not received the registration number. The official immediately asked him to send an SMS to 56161 and within minutes, the candidate walked away all smilesfor he was scheduled to take the examination in the afternoon.

The bank had requested the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation to operate special buses to enable job aspirants reach the venue without much hassle.

And for those applicants, who paid the fees but not applied online, the bank has made arrangements for conducting the test separately. “It would be on the third Sunday. We expected the number of such candidates at one per cent of the total number of applicants, but there is just one candidate. We intend to conduct the test for this single applicant separately,” the official said.

Pre-Examination training:

SBI also went a step further by organising pre-examination training programmes for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates, ex-servicemen and minority community.

“We entered into an agreement with Time Institute here for imparting training in a professional manner. Around 5,500 candidates attended the programme, which was spread over 6 days and conducted in 4 batches. It was free-of-cost for the candidates.’

As a potential employer to job aspirants, SBI has left them with a favourable impression with these efforts.

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