Nearly 3.35 lakh students in the city are busy with last-minute preparations for Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations conducted by Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) that begin from today. Around 14.9 lakh students will appear for the exam from the state. Interestingly, 236 transgender students from the state will sit for the exams this year, out of which 62 are from the city. However, the board officials are yet to ascertain the identity of the transgender students. The Mumbai division of the state board is also providing concessions like extra time, calculator and computer provision to students with special needs. One of them is 20-year-old Nishka Hosangady who will write her exam on an iPad owing to multiple disabilities. Rashmi Hosangady, mother Nishka, said, "My daughter has speech and writing disorder. She has been provided with a writer who will write in her answer sheet whatever she types on her iPad." Another student Rohit Tarkase will appear his boards despite fighting paralysis. Rohit, who is hearing impaired, landed up in hospital on 17 February after he lost feeling in the left side of his body. "On February 17, he got a paralysis attack and we had to rush him to Shushrusha hospital in Nerul. When he showed a willingness to give his board exam, I immediately approached the board who gave him a writer to write his exam. We will take him in an ambulance to the exam centre in Nerul," said Uttam Rao Tarkase, Rohit's father. Dr Ananda Amritmahal, principal of Sophia College for Women, said, "We are happy to support our students in their efforts to achieve both equity and excellence." THE BOARD CRAM Students crowd public places for last minute preparations MUMBAI No of students 3,35,428 Science 91,178Arts 54,056Commerce 1,85,774Vocational 4,420 MAHARASHTRA No of students 14,91,306 Science 5,69,476Arts 4,82,372Commerce 3,81,446Vocational 58,012

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