BHAKTAPUR: A total of 615,553 students will sit for this year's School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examinations scheduled to begin on March 31, said the Office of the Controller of Examinations.

Out of them, 452,881 are from the regular category, while 159,417 are from the exempted category.

Likewise, 3,255 are appearing in the examinations under the technical category.

Kathmandu will see around 35,000 students appearing in the test, the highest number among 75 districts, while Manang has the least students (69).

Altogether 1,443 exam centres have been designated across the country.

Examinations Controller Krishna Prasad Kapri said that all preparations for the examinations were complete by now. He assured to hold the test perceived as the 'iron gate' in a fair and peaceful manner.