Pawan Kalyan’s convoy restrictions allegedly cost exam chances for over 25 aspirants in Andhra

Over 25 candidates were barred from appearing in a crucial competitive examination in Visakhapatnam on Monday after they reportedly arrived late due to traffic restrictions allegedly imposed for the smooth passage of Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s convoy.

The examination was scheduled to begin at 8.30 am at the ION Digital Zone building in Chinnamusidivada, Pendurthi.

B Kalavathi, the mother of a student appearing for the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) 2025, which determines admissions to National Institutes of Technology (NITs), claimed that her son was delayed due to traffic restrictions enforced for Kalyan’s convoy.

"We were stuck in traffic. It was halted because Kalyan was on his way to Araku," Kalavathi told PTI, adding that the roads were cleared to allow the actor-politician’s convoy to pass.

According to her, they reached NAD junction at 7.50 am but took 42 minutes to cover the remaining distance to the exam centre, arriving too late and being denied entry.

"Nearly 30 students were affected. We pleaded repeatedly but were not allowed in," she said, referring to their failed attempts to gain entry into the exam hall.

Anil Kumar, another parent, observed that even a five-minute exemption by the examination centre could have saved the day—and possibly an entire academic year—for his daughter, who also missed the exam.

Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers will come and go, but had the police informed the exam centre and granted a five-minute exemption, Kumar said, recounting the ordeal.

Though his daughter reached the examination centre at 8.32 am, Kumar said she was denied entry due to being two minutes late.

Speaking to media, a parent appealed to the Deputy Chief Minister to consider rescheduling the exam for the affected students.

Meanwhile, Visakhapatnam police issued a statement denying any connection between the convoy and the students' late arrival.

"It is clear that the Deputy CM’s movement through the area at 8.41 am has no connection to the late arrival of students, who were expected to report by 7 am and certainly before 8.30 am," the police said.

Further, the police emphasised that the number of absentees among examinees was the lowest today.

"Moreover, no traffic was blocked on the BRTS road or the service roads between Gopalapatnam and Pendurthi at any time before 8.30 am to ensure the free movement of examinees to the examination centre, which is located next to a service road," the police added.

The Janasena founder visited the Araku constituency on Monday to interact with tribal communities and launch a few road construction projects.