Assam faces internet shutdown for 4 hours during recruitment exam

Guwahati, Aug 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) Mobile internet services were suspended for over four hours in Assam's 27 districts on Sunday -- the second such instance within 8 days, to prevent any misconduct during the written examination for recruitment in Grade-III posts of various state government departments, officials said.

Officials said that besides suspending the mobile internet services from 10 a.m. to 12.p.m., and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPc have also been promulgated in and around the examination venue in all 27 districts and various other restrictions imposed to hold the examination transparently.

According to the officials, around 14.30 lakh candidates are expected to appear for the recruitment of nearly 30,000 Grade-III and Grade-IV posts of various Assam government departments on August 21, 28, and September 11.

Internet services had been suspended for four hours and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC were clamped on August 21 in 25 districts of Assam when the written examinations for Grade IV posts were held in two shifts to ensure that the candidates do not indulge in cheating using electronic devices.

The Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) has been conducting the examinations.

A writ petition was filed in the Gauhati High Court against the suspension of mobile internet service for the examinations on August 21.

However, the court on Friday declined to stay the government order.

The third and final phase of the exams would be held for the post of Grade IV on September 11. No suspension of mobile internet service on that day has been announced yet.

Source: IANS