BUY AN ELECTRIC GUITAR FOR BEGINNER

Dont  buy  a  poor  quality instrument with   bad  stability  and  high  action   look  for  something  better  a second  hand   Yamaha   Pacifica  is  a  good  start   cheap   cheerful  stays  in tune   and  sounds  great  .I  often use  mine  live  in preference  to  various  other   high  end  guitars  in my  collection .An electric  guitar can often be  more  comfortable  to  play    than an  acoustic  but  at  the  end it  really  depends  on what  genre   you  are  aiming  at   . A good  compromise   between the  two  would  be  Ovations  Applause  series  as  they  are  acoustic   guitars  with  a  slim electric  type neck   very  comfortable  to  use  .Hope  this  helps     

Not an advertisment for Ovation.... But I would agree with Grah1 on his statement re: Applause. A good friend recently bought one on the knowledge that my Ovation has traveled thousands of miles with me through the heat of desert and frigid conditions in the hold of airplanes, the abuse of clumsy baggage handlers (and my own clumsyness) suffering no damage and minimal fret/setup adjustments. With a fitted case still in the sub-$500 range.  So to the question, you can buy them and are generally available.     

While not promoting Ovation, I echo Grah1's sentiment about their durability. A friend, inspired by my Ovation's resilience to diverse conditions and travel mishaps, purchased one for under $500 with a fitted case, attesting to their accessibility and robust build . The Ovation guitar, known for its durability and resilience in various conditions, offers a reliable option for musicians, making it an ideal choice for exam  performances.