Amid the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate (HSSLC) Examinations began on Wednesday in 111 exam centres across the state. The Council of Higher Secondary Education Manipur (COHSEM) is conducting the examination for Class XII, and 31,351 students, including 15,152 girls from 236 higher secondary schools, appeared for the exams. Last year, around 36,000 students sat for the examinations. COHSEM Chairman Takhellambam Ojit Singh said that the exams are scheduled to end on March 23. Of the total number of centers, 36 are in the ten hill districts, and 75 are in the six valley districts. Singh appealed to the candidates to set aside the woes of the conflict and do their best in the examinations. @@@