Hyderabad: The Telangana State Public Service Commission Group-II examination concluded on Monday morning with Paper-III (Economy and Development) and Paper-IV (Telangana Movement and State Formation) in the afternoon session.
Although it was easier than many candidates thought, some questions caused controversy. Along with this, some interesting stories emerged from across the state, including stories of determination, including one willing to write a paper while experiencing labor pains.
As the examination progressed, the number of attendance also decreased. From 45.7 percent on Sunday, voting was 45.62 percent on Monday morning and 45.57 percent in the afternoon.
After a long gap of a decade, the examination was conducted in 1,368 centers in all 33 districts, but the low rate of participation has raised concerns. “The reason for the low turnout should be investigated,” notes the TSPSC coach.
Paper-IV stimulated discussion among the candidates because of the comprehensive view of the Telangana movement. Questions included Andhra leaders, irrigation projects, and events spanning decades. More than 10 questions are focused on Telugu Desam and its leaders.
Some examples are: “When Chandrababu Naidu was Chief Minister, he adopted Adilabad district and developed irrigation projects,” and, “Telugu Desam wrote to the Pranab Mukherjee Committee in favor of a separate Telangana state on October 18. 2009.”
Votes have been divided among the candidates. Some were ignored by the inclusion of Andhra-related topics, while others argued that these were an integral part of the historical timeline. “The Telangana movement is historical, and Andhra’s role cannot be isolated. The 1969 movement also comes under the Telangana movement, so these questions are a part of the syllabus,” said an aspirant Govardhani.
BRS chief K. Questions on Chandrasekhar Rao, TRS, and the original Telangana Thalli icon are also featured in the paper.
However, the inclusion of references to TD leaders raised concerns. Minister Harish Rao took to social media to criticize the framing, saying, “Today’s TSPSC exam felt like APPSC. Telangana’s history cannot be erased; it is a signature on time, not on paper.”
Paper-III, which focused on economics, was widely considered straightforward. A candidate from the Government Degree College for Women in Begumpet commented, “The paper was factual and balanced; Nothing difficult happened. Most of the candidates found it manageable. “
Gopal Krishna, Director, TSPSC Coaching Centre, explained, “Overall, the minimum qualifying marks will be lower as intensive study is required in all the papers. Only those who have been preparing for a long time can manage by remembering the correct answers.”
Stories of determination emerged amid the trials. In Nagarkurnool, Revathnagar, a pregnant woman from Banala village in Balamuru mandal completed her paper despite labor pains. She insisted on finishing her exams at ZDP High School in Kurnool city, refusing offers of hospitalization from alert staff. Emergency medical help was on standby, but she persevered and completed her exam.
In another incident, at Patancheru Government Degree College in Sangareddy district, L Nagesh suffered an epileptic attack while writing his fourth paper. When the ambulance was delayed, SSI Asif, the police officer on duty, brought Nagesh down from the third floor. Thanks to the prompt response, Nagesh survived, though doctors later attributed the episode to epilepsy.
Not all moments were inspiring. The failure to admit Palwancha who came late to the exam caused a scene. He protested by taking off his clothes in frustration. The police intervened and resolved the situation.
TSPSC is expected to release the result by March 2025, and many aspirants are vouching for it for a stable future. Punyavati, who took the exam at the Government Degree College for Women, said, ‘I want a government job. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll do a PhD in microbiology.”