Mobile internet shut down in Assam second time in 8 days to conduct job exams

The move to shut down mobile internet in Assam came in view of the question paper leaks happened during government jobs exams in the past

Updated on: Aug 28, 2022, 14:19:16 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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The mobile internet services in 26 of 35 districts of Assam were shut down for four hours on Sunday to allow the state government to conduct written tests for jobs in various departments without any glitch.

Exams are being conducted in Assam to fill nearly 30,000 government posts for which over 1.4 million candidates have applied. (PTI)

The move came in view of the question paper leaks happened during government jobs exams in the past. As an additional measure to prevent any such malpractices, candidates and invigilators were not allowed to carry mobile phones and other electronic devices insides the test centres.

This is the second time in eight days that mobile internet services have been suspended in the state in order to conduct tests. The exams are being conducted to fill nearly 30,000 posts for which over 1.4 million candidates have applied. The third such test is scheduled on September 11, but no decision on another shutdown has been taken yet.

The first mobile internet shutdown was on August 21 when over 500,000 candidates appeared for tests for Grade IV posts in 10,036 centres in 24 districts. On Sunday, over 850,000 candidates were expected to sit for tests for around 19,000 Grade IV posts in nearly 1,900 exam centres.

Though the timings for the shutdown was supposed to be from 10am to 12pm and from 2pm to 4pm on Sunday, some service providers suspended services from early morning affecting millions of users across the state.

Chairing a review meeting on Saturday ahead of the test, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma instructed officials to ensure that the exam passes smoothly and nobody uses unfair means.

He also asked police officials to see that there are no traffic snarls which prevent candidates from reaching centres on time. On August 21, some candidates in Cachar district of Barak Valley had failed to reach their centres on time due to traffic congestion.

“I would like to apologise to the public for the inconvenience. But while mobile internet will be closed, wired internet will be available. It is important that we take this measure because if anyone sends out the question paper on WhatsApp during the exam, there will be a lot of hue and cry and we don’t want to take any risk,” Sarma said earlier this month.

On Friday, the Gauhati high court rejected a petition filed by activist Raju Prasad Sarma challenging the government’s move to shut down mobile internet services to conduct job exams.

Issuing a notice to the state government on the issue, justice Suman Shyam held that there was no breach of freedom of expression due to shutdown of mobile internet as there’s no disruption in broadband internet services.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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