Assam govt temporarily suspend mobile internet today for recruitment exam

Guwahati (Assam) [India], September 15 (ANI): The Assam government on Saturday ordered the suspension of mobile internet services across the state for three-and-a-half hours from 10 am on September 15 (today) during a written examination for recruitment to Grade III posts.

In a notification issued by Ajay Tewari, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Assam, Home and Political Department, on Saturday said that “The Government of Assam, through the “State Level Recruitment Commission for Class III Posts,” is going to conduct a written examination for recruitment to the vacant posts of Class-Ill in different State Government establishments for the eligible candidates.”

According to the notification, 11,23,204 candidates are scheduled to appear for the exam in 2,305 centres, and 429 of them are identified as sensitive’ ones due to their geographical location and past history of cheating and other malpractices.

“Secondary Education Board of Assam (SEBA) on behalf of the “State Level Recruitment Commission for Class-III Posts” has announced the schedule of holding of such written examinations in different examination centres covering 28 districts of Assam on 15th September 2024. Whereas a whopping 11,23,204 number of candidates are supposed to appear for the public exam in 2305 examination centres spread across the state of Assam on that day, out of which 429 centres are identified as ‘sensitive’ centres due to their geographical location and past history of cheating and other malpractices,” it read.

It further stated that the state government desires that the written examination should be held in a free, fair and transparent manner.

“Whereas, the Government of Assam desires that the written examination should be held in a free, fair and transparent manner to select the best candidates purely on merit and no malpractices should be allowed during the examination. Whereas, it has been observed on earlier such occasions that some unscrupulous elements resorted to unfair means using different mobile applications such as Facebook, WhatsApp, X (Twitter), Telegram and Youtube, etc. which are based on Internet / Wi-Fi connectivity,” it added.

The notification further stated that the Assam government does not want any loopholes in the examination process, which might have the potential to create doubt in the public mind on the fairness of the recruitment process undertaken by the government orand thereby creating law and order issues in the state having bearing on public safety.

“Whereas, there exists a substantial apprehension that the anti-social elements or the organised groups shall try to take advantage of the situation by resorting to rumour-mongering through social media and may try to destabilise the process of examination. Whereas, the Government of Assam has carefully examined the matter and have come to a conclusion that in the interest of holding free, fair and transparent public examination, it is prudent and expedient to plug all possible loopholes, including by temporary disabling of Mobile Internet/ Mobile data/ Mobile Wi-fi Connectivity during examination hours on the day fixed for holding such written examination,” said the notification

The notification read that voice calls and broadband connectivity based on fixed telephone lines will remain functional.

“Therefore, in the interest of holding a free, fair and transparent public examination and also to prevent the arising of any law and order issues having bearing on public safety, I, Ajay Tewari, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Assam, Home and Political Department, hereby promulgate this Notification under the provision of Section 5 (2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, read with the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rule, 2017 to prohibit the Mobile Internet/Mobile Data/Mobile Wi-fi Service of All Mobile Service Providers in the entire state of Assam on September 15 from 10 am to 1-30 pm. It is however, clarified that the voice calls and the broadband connectivity based on fixed telephone lines may remain functional during the aforesaid period,” said the government notification.

The order further read that violation of the promulgation will be punishable under Section 223 Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023 and also under the relevant provision of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1985.