Alleging that irregularities have taken place in the practical exams conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority for entrance to agricultural courses, the BJP has urged the government to conduct re-exams.

Taking to social media, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok expressed concern that allegations of such irregularities in the KEA exams had come after irregularities in the examinations conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) rocked the State.

He noted that practical exams for agricultural courses had been conducted in 17 centres by the KEA on May 10. Pointing out that 74 students who wrote the exams in Hiriyur centre of Chitradurga had scored 200 out of 200, he said this had raised doubts about how the exams were conducted at this centre. Such doubts had arisen among parents and students particularly so as only 24 students from the remaining 16 centres in the State were able to score full marks, he said.

He said parents of those who had written these exams in other centres were viewing these exams with suspicion and were alleging that irregularities had taken place.

He urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah not to play with the future of rural poor students who are aspiring to study agricultural courses. He also urged Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy to cancel the practical exams and conduct re-exams besides ordering a probe into the conduct of these examinations.