GUWAHATI: The Assam government on Sunday took some unprecedented measures to prevent cheating and thwart any untoward incidents during the conduct of a written test to fill up 30,000 vacant Grade C and D posts.
It turned the examination centres into virtual fortresses by deploying police personnel, clamped Section 144 of the CrPC within a 100-metre radius of the centres and suspended mobile internet services during the conduct of the examination across 25 districts.
It was held in two shifts – from 10 am-12 noon and 2 pm-4 pm. Except for the centre head, nobody was allowed to carry a cellphone inside. The next two phases of the examination will be conducted on August 28 and September 11. The Board of Secondary Education, Assam is conducting the exams.
More than 14.3 lakh candidates are appearing for the written test. Recently, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that his government was focused on giving 1 lakh jobs.
“We are moving forward with a firm resolve to give 1 lakh jobs in a transparent manner. We have already given 30,000 jobs,” he had said.
The CM apologised to the people for the inconveniences to be caused by the suspension of mobile internet, stating that it was necessary to prevent possible malpractices, including question paper leaks through WhatsApp, during the exam.
The Assam unit of the All India Professionals’ Congress, however, criticised the government’s decision, terming it as “ridiculous” and “comical”.
Gauravv Somani, who is the unit’s president, argued that going by the government’s logic, the internet should be banned across the country during the conduct of Union Public Service Commission exams.
The ruling BJP countered it by citing that the Congress government in Rajasthan had blocked mobile internet and SMS services during the recruitment of teachers last year.
Sarma had warned the deputy commissioners of the 25 districts that they would be held responsible for any irregularities during the conduct of the exams.