Guwahati, Sep 29 (IANS): In a move that is likely to cause some hardship to the people of the state, mobile Internet services were suspended in Assam on Sunday for eight hours from 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.

This has been done to ensure there are no malpractices in the direct recruitment examination that began at 9 A.M. on Sunday in more than 800 centres across the state.

More than seven lakh aspirants will take the written exam in 27 districts of the state and Internet will be suspended from 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.

However, voice calls and the broadband connectivity based on fixed telephone lines shall remain functional during the period on Sunday.

A whopping 7,34,080 candidates are expected to appear in the recruitment examinations to be conducted in two shifts on Sunday.

The first shift for Bachelor's Degree level Class-III posts will be from 9 A.M. to 12 noon and the second shift for HSLC (Driver) posts will be from 1:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M., in 822 examination centres spread across Assam.

An official order that was issued ahead of the exams stated that day certain examination centres have a past history of cheating and other malpractices.

The official order further said, “In the interest of holding free, fair and transparent written examination and also to prevent arising of any law and order issues having bearing on public safety Mobile Internet/ Mobile Wi-fi/ Mobile Data Service of all Mobile Service Providers in the entire state of Assam from 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M on September 29, 2024 (Sunday).”

The Assam administration was also apprehensive of the fact that anti-social elements or organised groups would try to take advantage of the situation by resorting to rumour-mongering through social media and may try to destabilise the process of examination.