Mobile internet services in 25 districts of Assam were suspended for four hours on Sunday to prevent possible malpractices as the state government conducted the written examination for Grade-IV posts in its various departments.
Besides, prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC were imposed in the districts where examinations were going on, a top government official said.
The principal of Silchar’s Cachar College has been detained by the police for alleged gross negligence in duty in conducting the examination.
Police said that the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar district had registered an FIR against Principal Siddharth Shankar Nath at Silchar police station this morning after visiting the institution.
The DC claimed that the principal failed to conduct the examination as per the guidelines issued for the purpose.
Police said Nath was taken into custody based on the complaint.
Over 14.30 lakh candidates are expected to appear for around 30,000 Grade-III and -IV posts, with the examinations scheduled to be held on August 21 and 28 and September 11.
While the Grade-IV examinations were held on Sunday in two shifts, the examination for Grade-III posts will be conducted on the other two dates. All the exams are being conducted by the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA).
Senior officials of private telecom operators Airtel and Jio told PTI that internet services have been suspended for four hours in 25 districts as per the instructions of the Assam government.
“Dear customers, as per government directive, mobile internet services are being temporarily suspended in your area between 10 am to 12 noon and between 2 pm and 4 pm,” read the Airtel SMS to its customers.
Similar messages were sent by other operators to their customers across the state.
On August 17, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that internet services would be suspended during exam hours to avoid possible malpractices during the recruitment process.
Meanwhile, Assam Police in a tweet said that Section 144 of CrPC has been invoked to conduct tests in and around the examination venues for three days in a “free, fair and transparent manner”.
According to an official order, gathering of persons other than candidates, scribes and officers engaged in conduct and monitoring has been prohibited within a radius of 100 meters of each examination centre.
Carrying of mobiles in the examination centers has also been banned.
Prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC have been imposed within 100 meters of SEBA office in Guwahati till the time the answer sheets are received, deposited and scrutinized.
