Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court today called on the state government to clarify its policy regarding the suspension of internet services during examinations. This came during a hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the state’s decision to shut down internet services for the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examinations organized by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
Justices Ananda Sen and Anubha Rawat Chaudhary questioned whether such internet shutdowns would become a standard practice for all examinations. While the court declined to stay the suspension order, it instructed the state to submit a detailed response via affidavit within four weeks.
The legal basis for the government’s action is Section 69 (1) of the IT Act, which allows for internet suspensions to protect national security and public order. Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan defended the state’s decision, stating that only mobile internet was suspended as a precautionary measure to prevent disturbances during the exams, while other internet services remained unaffected.
Rajendra Krishna, Chairman of the State Bar Council and petitioner in the case, argued that the internet shutdown violates the Information Technology Act and disrupts daily activities for residents.
Notably, internet services were suspended in Jharkhand today from 8 AM to 1:30 PM for the Jharkhand Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination (JGGLCCE), and this restriction is set to continue tomorrow. A total of 823 examination centers have been established across the state, with approximately 640,000 candidates participating.
The Home Department justified the suspension, citing previous incidents of exam-related malpractice communicated via mobile and internet platforms, including WhatsApp and Telegram.