Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Jul 19: In an unprecedented move, the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) has decided to suspend internet service during the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Combined Competitive Examination (APPSCCE) 2018 across the state.
The decision has been made in order to ensure free and fair conduct of the APPSCCE, the commission said.
When contacted by this daily, APPSC Secretary Taru Talo said the move is aimed at checking the unfair use of smart phones during the examination.
“Suspending internet service during APPSCCE is our attempt to ensure free and fair examination,” Talo said.
Talo explained, however, that the suspension of internet service would be applied only at the APPSCCE centres, like Bomdila, Seppa, Itanagar, Ziro, Aalo, Basar, Pasighat, Tezu, Namsai, Khonsa, Jairampur, etc.
He said the commission has written to the deputy commissioners of the district headquarters where the exams are being held to ensure that internet service is shut down through the entirety of the examination hours.
Talo said the commissioner forwent the idea of installing jammers at the examination centres owing to insufficient number of jammers and the ineffectiveness of the mechanism to check the leaking out of question papers.
“It has often been reported that question papers were leaked out of the examination halls even after the installing of jammers; so we have decided to suspend internet service altogether at the examination centres,” he said.
Talo expressed hope that the people would cooperate with the commission in conducting the APPSCCE in a free and fair manner.
Meanwhile, there is apprehension among the citizens that suspension of internet service during the APPSCCE at many places across the state would cause a gridlock in e-works, especially banking and other online works.
