Guwahati, Sep 15 (IANS): A huge government recruitment examination was conducted in Assam by the state administration on Sunday where more than 11 lakh applicants took part in the exercise. The examinations were conducted at more than 2,300 centres across the state.

A senior official said, “A total of 11,23,204 candidates applied for the class III level government posts. We set up 2,305 centres in different corners of the state for the examinations.”

He asserted that the examinations were conducted without any difficulties and that the entire examination process was peaceful across the state.

“The proper arrangements were put in place so that the candidates do not face any hardship in taking the examinations,” he added.

The state government adopted a slew of measures to conduct a free and fair examination process that includes suspension of the internet for more than three hours to check the use of illegal means during the examination process.

A notification issued by the administration on Sunday night mentioned, “To ensure that there remains no loopholes in the examination process which might have the potential to create doubt in the public mind on the fairness of the recruitment process, the Government of Assam has taken necessary steps to temporarily disable the mobile internet/mobile data/mobile/Wi-Fi connectivity on 15th September 2024 from 10.00 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.”

The notification added that despite the state government taking the necessary steps to conduct a free and fair examination, it was observed on many such earlier occasions in our state as well as in other states that some unscrupulous elements resorted to unfair means using different mobile applications such as Facebook, WhatsApp, X (Twitter), Telegram and YouTube etc which are based on internet/Wi-Fi connectivity.

According to the statement, there exists a substantial apprehension that the anti-social elements or the organised groups shall try to take advantage of the situation by resorting to rumour-mongering through social media and may try to destabilise the process of examination.

“Some even may try to sell fake question papers using different social media platforms,” the statement further read.

Notably, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier announced that the state government has given 1 lakh jobs and it has been planned to recruit another 50,000 people in government posts.