MUMBAI, April 3 -- School principals and parents are apprehensive over state scholarship exam centres being allocated at a distance from schools this year. This will impact students of classes 4 and 7 who are getting ready to take the examination on April 26. The problem came to light after the Maharashtra State Council of Examination released the hall tickets for the exam. On checking, several schools found the allotted centres were at a considerable distance. A teacher from a Kandivali-based school said that in previous years, students were either given their own school as the exam centre or a centre nearby. This year marks a major change, after the school education department resumed the scholarship exams for classes 4 and 7 after a gap of 10 years. Earlier, the exams were conducted for Class 5 and Class 8 students. While the resumption has been welcomed, the allocation of the centres is a cause of worry. Expressing concern, Rohit Birhade, a parent of a Class 4 student, said, "My son studies at Jijamata Vidyamandir in Kurar Village, Malad, but has been allotted a centre in Dahisar, which is nearly 10 kilometres away. It is difficult for working parents like me to accompany their children to such long distances." He added that the challenge will persist even if schools arrange group travel. Birhade also questioned why centres were allotted at such distances when several schools are available in Malad itself. Similar complaints have come from other areas. Students from Yojana Vidyalaya in Malad East have been given a centre nearly 7 kilometres away in Malad West. Students from Manohar Hariram Chogle School have also been allotted centres in distant locations, while students of Chandrabhaga School in Pimpripada in Malad have received a centre in Gorai, which is 6 kilometers away. Some school principals who have yet to download the hall tickets, such as one from a Goregaon-based school, said if they face similar issues, they will approach the education department for a solution. The principals have argued that scholarship exams are generally conducted in the same school or nearby centres to ensure safety and convenience, especially for younger students. "Travelling long distances will create stress and logistical problems for both students and parents," said a principal of a school. Officials have responded to the concerns. A deputy education officer from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said they will discuss the matter with the council and arrive at a solution. The officer mentioned that allocating a centre is usually based on the area selected by schools during the application process. School principals refute BMC's stand, saying they had selected the correct options while filling the forms. A principal from a school in Malad East said, "I have been working as a coordinator for scholarship exams since the last 15 years. We have never filled wrong information. Throwing ball in our court amounts to passing on responsibilities." A senior official from the council stated that no formal complaint has been received so far, but assured that once complaints are submitted, the issue will be addressed....