With aim to retire as head constable, 55-year-old cop writes Karnataka's Class 10 SSLC exam

A 55-year-old Karnataka police constable is writing the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) board exam at Kolar to get promotion before his retirement in 2025. "Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) constable K.R. Manjunath is appearing for the SSLC board exams as an external candidate at the Government Girls' Junior College at Kolar, which is an enrollment centre," district nodal officer Nagendra Prasad said.

Kolar is about 100km east of Bengaluru in the southern state. The SSLC board exams are being held across the state since June 25 as per the lockdown guidelines, which makes wearing mask, washing hands with sanitiser and maintaining social distancing mandatory. Manjunath appeared for the 6th and last exam in third language on Friday after completing papers in 5 subjects so far.

"Manjunath is attempting to pass in all 6 subjects for the second time, as he failed in 2 subjects in the first attempt 4 years ago. He will get promotion and become head constable if he passes this time,' said Prasad. Though Manjunath studied up to class 7 in the town over 4 decades ago, he secured a job in the state police department in D group and was promoted as a constable over a decade ago on service record.

"As Manjunath wants to retire as head constable, he has to pass the class 10 exam, which is a minimum for the promotion. He is confident of passing in all subjects this time as he claims to have done well," said Prasad. The constable has opted to write the exam in his home town (Kolar) though he is posted in Bengaluru.

"On learning that a senior policeman was writing the class 10 board exam, state Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar enquired about him during his official visit to Kolar on June 29," Prasad recalled.