Puducherry: Around 52.97% of registered candidates appeared for the Combined Higher Secondary Level (CHSL) recruitment examination conducted by the Puducherry government on Sunday.

The examination, organised by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), was held to fill 129 posts of Lower Division Clerk and one post of Painter in the Department of Art and Culture.

According to official data, 39,047 candidates had registered for the examination, which was conducted at 111 centres across Puducherry. Of these, 20,699 candidates appeared for the test, while 18,348 remained absent, resulting in an absentee rate of 47.03%.

Officials said several examination centres recorded relatively low attendance.

Puducherry Examining Authority Controlling Officer Pankaj Kumar Jha inspected examination centres during the conduct of the test. Local Administration Secretary R Kesavan, Industries Secretary Vikrant Raja, Health Secretary Choudhary Mohammed Yasin and Transport Commissioner Aman Sharma, who were appointed as observers, also visited various centres to oversee the examination process.