Jharkhand Enforces Internet Ban for State Government Exams, Following Assam's Lead

RANCHI: The Jharkhand government announced a short-term shut down of internet services across the state with an intention to curb cheating in the process of General Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination going on currently in Jharkhand.

This is similar to what the Assam government did, which had also banned mobile internet services for the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination 2024.

Internet services would be restricted in all 24 districts of Jharkhand where the exam centers are situated from 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM on September 21 and 22.

The restrictions imposed would be applied upon mobile internet, data, and Wi-Fi services provided by any company. Voice calls and broadband connection through fixed telephone lines would not be affected.

The state said this is a pre-emptive measure because, earlier, some students had resorted to cheating through mobile applications such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube during the examinations.

The Jharkhand government urged it does not want any loopholes in the examination process to come into public discussions regarding the credibility of recruitment processes. They had cited that such doubts might raise law and order issues affecting public safety.

According to the government, some 650,000 candidates will take the test and underscored its effort to conduct the tests in a "free, fair, and transparent" way to select the best candidates based solely on merit. The Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission is conducting the examination.

Similarly, Assam has also taken hard-line measures in the matter of security as it has banned the internet on the days when exams are being held for the particular direct recruitment test for class III and IV in state government posts.

Earlier, two exam centres in Chatra and Jamtara districts had witnessed agitations by some job aspirants alleging that the question paper of the prelims Jharkhand PSC exam had been leaked. The government rejected these allegations maintaining the student examination was held in a regular manner.

Specifically, candidates at Upendranath Verma Inter College in Chatra claimed that the seal on the exam materials had been tampered with.

At JJS College in Mihijam, Jamtara, some candidates also created a ruckus accusing paper leak. They said the General Studies question paper had been opened before it reached the exam hall.

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