West Bengal to restrict internet services during state board exams

Internet services will be suspended in seven districts of West Bengal to prevent cheating during state board exams.

The districts where internet will be suspended are: Malda, Murshidabad, Uttar Dinajpur, Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Birbhum, and Darjeeling.

From Monday (March 7), 11.2 lakh students will appear for the board examinations in-person across 4,194 centres in the state.

In a statement, the  Department of Home and Hill Affairs said: “The restriction will be imposed in a few blocks under the districts of Malda, Murshidabad, Uttar Dinajpur, Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Birbhum and Darjeeling on March 7 to 9, March 11 and 12 and on March 15 and 16 from 11:00 am to 3:15 pm.”

The decision has been taken to prevent mass cheating in the upcoming state board exams.

“The government has received intelligence reports that unlawful activities can be carried in certain areas over internet transmissions and voice over internet telephony and hence restrictions are being imposed on the use of the internet,” the state said.

“Any data related message or class of messages to or from any person or class of persons relating to any particular subject, brought for transmission by or transmitted or received by any telegraph within the ambit of the India Telegraph Act, 1885, shall temporarily not be transmitted in the interest of maintaining public order and preventing incitement to the commission of any offence within the jurisdiction of the Block/Police Stations,” a government order read.