No shoes, tattoos and watches: Telangana public service exam’s dress code

Mangalore Today News Network

Hyderabad, Nov 02, 2016: Are you appearing for any written examination conducted by the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPPC) for a job in the state government?

If yes, then forget your shoes if you want access to the examination hall. You will have to either go bare feet or wear flip flops otherwise you will not be allowed to write the examination. Not just shoes, you won’t be allowed to wear a wristwatch or carry a wallet. If you have any tattoo on any part of your body, you cannot appear for the examination.

And, if you are a woman candidate, you are not supposed to wear any jewellery and henna designs on your palms and hands is also strictly prohibited.

The commission has mentioned the dress code in its instructions to the candidates appearing for the written exam for Group-II services in the government. Almost 8 lakh candidates are appearing for the test for 1,032 posts that are to be held on November 11 and 13.

The do’s and don’ts suggested by the commission have stumped candidates.

“One can understand if the commission has prohibited the usage of electronic gadgets like calculators, mobile phones, tablets, Bluetooth devices, recording instruments and even log tables. How can it ban wrist watch or wallet or gold ornaments?” P Prasad, who has applied for the Group-II post, asked.

Repeated attempts to contact TSPSC chairperson Ghanta Chakrapani failed but an official in the commission, who refused to be named, said the instructions were issued only to ensure a fool-proof examination without the scope for any malpractices.

“Shoes and wrist watches are not allowed because there is every possibility that the candidates might bring slips in them,” he said.

The official reason given by the commission behind banning henna and tattoos is that the candidates would have to go through a screening in the form of bio-metric left thumbprint/ iris/photo capture.

“This is a security feature which will allow TSPSC to verify the identity of the candidate and also to check impersonation by any candidate. Therefore, they are advised not to apply any external matters like mehndi, ink, etc, on their hands/foot,” the instructions said.

However, the official said that the commission suspects that there is a possibility of candidates scribbling answers withing the designs and it may become difficult for invigilators to inspect each and every student.

The commission has banned gold ornaments for the safety of the candidates as there may not be a guaranteed security facility for the safekeeping of their valuables, the official said.

“The candidates will have to undergo thorough frisking so as to prevent them from resorting to any malpractices. In the process, there is a possibility of the candidates losing their valuables,” he said.

Earlier this year, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) similarly issued a long list of ‘banned items’ for those appearing fo National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test 1.

The education board asked candidates to wear slippers or sandals, but not shoes. Candidates were advised to wear “light” clothes and wear half-sleeves without big buttons, badges or brooches, which could possibly be used to hide communication devices.

It also said that “ornaments like ring, earring, nose-pin, chain/necklace, pendant, badge, brooch etc should be carefully checked”.