India
Assam State authorities ordered mobile Internet services to be suspended across 28 of the state’s 35 districts on 15 September 2024, 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.
Similar orders were given in August 2022 for the Class-III (21 August) and Class-IV (28 August) government post exams but were not during the last exam day on 11 September 2022.
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.
Do you @Olacabs @uber @zomatoin @Swiggy have any contingency relief plans for your driving/delivery persons likely to be most impacted by such Tughlaki Firmans?
Internet To Remain Suspended During Recruitment Exams On August 28 And September 11: Assam CM https://t.co/zdi25lBPCT
— শিবজ্যোতি SIBAJYOTI (@SHIBU_DIBRUGARH) August 27, 2022
The Assam government has ordered a temporary shutdown of internet services in the state on September 15 from 10 AM to 1:30 PM to facilitate a fair State Level Recruitment Commission exam for Class-III Posts, with 11,23,204 candidates set to appear in 2305 examination centres. pic.twitter.com/OZYRmqlYR2
— The Assam Insight (@theassaminsight) September 14, 2024
It’s difficult to measure the effect of local/regional Internet shutdowns as most measurements are done at a country level. Learn more
Assam Govt. Shutdown internet statewide from 10-1:30 PM yesterday for ADRE (a govt job exam). Yet the paper got leaked before the internet shutdown. 11 lakhs candidates appeared the exam for 3K post.
Investigation is going on. https://t.co/m2aScWpy8c@zoo_bear @dhruv_rathee— R.Mahmud⚕️ (@rejuan_mahmud) September 16, 2024
So the Govt. is not competent enough to conduct an examination without suspending internet services across thd state because they fear the candidates will cheat if they don't?
Maybe the Govt. should then work on better ways to make exams safer, not just shut of things.#assam
— Deepak Kamat (@xxxdepy) September 15, 2024
For reference, the biggest state in India (UP) conducted the biggest recruitment examination (Constable recruitment exam, for over 4 million candidates) without shutting down internet across state. Assam govt should come up with better solutions.
— Bishal Kalita (@BishalKalita9) September 15, 2024