Regional shutdown
Assam
Assam State authorities ordered mobile Internet services to be suspended across 27 of the state's 35 districts on 28 August 2022, between 10:00 and 12:00 and 14:00 and 16:00 (local time) to avoid malpractice during the written examination for Class-III government post. These orders followed similar orders from the 21 August for the written examination for Grade-IV government post. These orders come despite a petition in March 2022 to the West Bengal High Court challenging a government move to suspend internet services to control cheating in the Madhyamaik Examinations. from which the court acknowledged but stayed the order. According to a report, the court disposed the matter by saying, “The Rule of 2017 are required to be complied with and the Supreme Court has already laid down the law which is binding under Article 141 of the Constitution, hence, we express hope that while issuing any such order in future, the State authorities will duly comply with the same.” According to the Internet Freedom Foundation, this was an important judgement by the High Court because it would be useful when persuading states to follow the law on internet suspension. Some report that some mobile Internet service providers suspended Internet services for the day.
- Total Duration 6 hours
India
- Population
- 1,450,935,791
Freedom House rates Internet freedom as Partly Free
Local impact
Assam State authorities ordered mobile Internet services to be suspended across 27 of the state's 35 districts on 28 August 2022, between 10:00 and 12:00 and 14:00 and 16:00 (local time) to avoid malpractice during the written examination for Class-III government post. These orders followed similar orders from the 21 August for the written examination for Grade-IV government post. These orders come despite a petition in March 2022 to the West Bengal High Court challenging a government move to suspend internet services to control cheating in the Madhyamaik Examinations. from which the court acknowledged but stayed the order. According to a report, the court disposed the matter by saying, “The Rule of 2017 are required to be complied with and the Supreme Court has already laid down the law which is binding under Article 141 of the Constitution, hence, we express hope that while issuing any such order in future, the State authorities will duly comply with the same.” According to the Internet Freedom Foundation, this was an important judgement by the High Court because it would be useful when persuading states to follow the law on internet suspension. Some report that some mobile Internet service providers suspended Internet services for the day.
Related documentation
Internet Services to be suspended in 25 districts in #Assam on 28th August #LetTheNetWork pic.twitter.com/Zx7MbGl6oz — InternetShutdowns.in (@NetShutdowns) August 21, 2022
Other supporting information
It’s difficult to measure the effect of local/regional Internet shutdowns as most measurements are done at a country level. Learn more
Social media
Mobile internet services were suspended for over 4 hours in #Assam's 27 districts on Sunday -- the 2nd 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. pic.twitter.com/eY2SOD82hP — IANS (@ians_india) August 28, 2022
Assam govt directed mobile companies to cut internet service for 4 hrs (from 10am to 12pm & from 2 pm to 4pm) for appointment exams. but Jio is so casual, insensitive & unprofessional that they cut the service for the day at 3.52am. @JioCare @reliancejio pic.twitter.com/UzCtT6L7H9 — Rupjyoti Deka (@rupjyotiassamm) August 28, 2022
Do you support the internet ban in Assam due to competitive exams?#Assam#internetdown #Guwahati — Subhankar Banerjee (@SubhankarBan) August 28, 2022
Hon'ble MP Shri @pradyutbordoloi wrote letter to the CM of Assam regarding the suspension of internet services for four hours on 21st August and 28th August,2022. pic.twitter.com/yNyCFI6eut
— Assam Congress (@INCAssam) August 21, 2022
The whole day, there was no internet. Just for some Assam Govt related exams? What do those exams have to do with us? We have webinars, online activities and many other events happening. Jeopardising the whole region for those exam centres is not fair! @himantabiswa @dccachar
— Monali Longmailai (@MonaliLong) August 21, 2022
Internet blocked once again in Assam for exams!!! But how to reach the exam center's, Google maps not working!!! Government doing everything possible to make the job interview day look fair and honest. But who prepared the paper's, who is conducting the interview.
— IR (@IftiquarR) August 28, 2022
Media coverage
Hon'ble MP Shri @pradyutbordoloi wrote letter to the CM of Assam regarding the suspension of internet services for four hours on 21st August and 28th August,2022. pic.twitter.com/yNyCFI6eut
— Assam Congress (@INCAssam) August 21, 2022
The whole day, there was no internet. Just for some Assam Govt related exams? What do those exams have to do with us? We have webinars, online activities and many other events happening. Jeopardising the whole region for those exam centres is not fair! @himantabiswa @dccachar
— Monali Longmailai (@MonaliLong) August 21, 2022
Internet blocked once again in Assam for exams!!! But how to reach the exam center's, Google maps not working!!! Government doing everything possible to make the job interview day look fair and honest. But who prepared the paper's, who is conducting the interview.
— IR (@IftiquarR) August 28, 2022