Thiruvananthapuram : The convergence of the revered Attukal Pongala festival and the CBSE board examinations in Thiruvananthapuram has triggered deep concern among students and parents. According to the 2027 examination schedule, the Class X Science exam and Class XII exams for Automotive, Fashion Studies, and NCC fall on February 22—the same day the grand Attukal Pongala is observed.
​As lakhs of women devotees converge on the state capital for the ritual, the city witnesses massive crowds, widespread road blockages, strict traffic diversions, and localized transport curbs. Parents worry that navigating through the festivities to reach exam centers on time will be an uphill task, especially with strict traffic regulations shutting down major arterial roads within a 5-kilometer radius of the temple. School buses and private vehicles will find it extremely difficult to operate normally under these conditions.
​Historically, the board has accommodated regional overlaps; in 2013, CBSE exams in Kerala were rescheduled due to Onam, and in 2017, dates were revised in Tamil Nadu due to assembly elections. Affected parents and school management associations are now looking towards formal representations to the CBSE regional office to seek a viable rescheduling of the exams.
