Internet shut down in Jharkhand for five hours from 8am as government takes steps to curb cheating in exams

Ahead of the Jharkhand General Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination (JGGLCCE), the state government has decided to ban internet services for five hours on Saturday and Sunday. A statement from the Hemant Soran government said that internet services will be suspended for two days, from 8 am to 1.30 pm. The decision has been taken to curb cheating in the exams.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren discussed the preparations for the exams with senior officials. He made it clear that “any kind of negligence will not be tolerated under any circumstances” during the checking process. “If anyone tries to do something wrong during the exams, we will take strict action against them,” he posted on X.

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Even if we catch someone by mistake, we will take action

An official of the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) said the exam will be conducted at 823 centres in the state. Around 6.39 lakh candidates will appear in it. The Hemant Soren government has decided to address the menace of cheating in the exam and question paper leaks and said that if anyone makes a mistake, even by mistake, it will be dealt with seriously.

Efforts to deal with the danger of paper leakage

The state government’s intention in banning internet services is to ensure that candidates do not get access to the ongoing question paper through messages or chats during the examination. Usually, people associated with question paper leaks try to circulate the question paper through WhatsApp or other messaging apps before the examination. Hemant Sarkar tried to ensure that no doubts would be raised about the results of the paper through this means.

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Will Jharkhand ban phone calls?

The Jharkhand Home Department release said that between 8 am and 1.30 pm on September 21 and 22, “voice calls and broadband connections over fixed telephone lines were allowed to continue. This order is in violation of the Indian Penal Code, 2023. Action will be taken under Section 223 and the provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885.”