Bengal To Snap Internet In Several Areas During Class 10 Examinations

Over 11 lakh (11,18,821) students will appear in the West Bengal Board (WBBSE) held Madhyamik, Class 10 exam that are commencing today. Since the class 10 exam could not be held in 2021 and 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic situations, the Madhyamik exam in the state is being conducted after two years.

Meanwhile, in a bid to prevent suspected unlawful activities during the Madhyamik examinations, and to stop question paper leaks on internet, TMC-led West Bengal government on Sunday said internet services will be temporarily suspended in the few blocks of Malda, Murshidabad, Uttar Dinajpur, Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Birbhum and Darjeeling districts.

The services will remain suspended between 11 am to 3:15 pm on Monday, March 7, to Wednesday, March 9. Similarly, the services will be suspended on March 11, March 12, and from March 14 to March 16.

“Intelligence reports have been received that Internet transmissions and voice over internet telephony may be used for unlawful activities in certain areas over the next few days…Examination of the information received gives reason to believe that such unlawful activities are likely to occur in the absence of preventive measures,” the order issued by the state government said.

However, the administration reiterated that no restriction is being imposed on voice calls and SMS and on newspapers, hence “communication and dissemination of knowledge and informatiori is not stopped in any way.”

The order further stated: “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 listed in the Annexure.”

“The board has no role in this issue. It is purely an administrative decision taken by the state secretariat,” WBBSE President Kalyanmoy Ganguly was quoted saying by the PTI.

Nearly 6,21,931 girls and 4,96,890 boys will appear for the Madhyamik examination this year in 4,194 centres across the state.

With agency inputs.