Union Minister Sanjay Seth Criticizes Jharkhand Government for Internet Shutdown During Exams
Union Minister Sanjay Seth criticized the Jharkhand government led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren for shutting down the internet during the Jharkhand General Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination on September 21 and 22. He stated that the move disrupted daily life and affected students, banks, and other services.
“How much will they torture students? Neither have they given employment nor have they given any allowance. Question papers were leaked and now the internet shut down. We also have information that 31 per cent fewer students were present… Because of the internet shutdown, people weren’t able to book tickets, make payments, and use navigation,” said Sanjay Seth. “Banks and insurance facilities were also affected… There was a time when the internet was shut down in Kashmir to stop terrorists, but now they have shut down the internet for our kids,” he added.
On Sunday, the Jharkhand High Court ordered the immediate resumption of internet services in the state. The court stated that merely using phrases such as “public interest,” “adequate safety of students at large,” and “ensuring a fair examination” without any factual basis is insufficient to justify shutting down internet services across the entire state. The court reiterated that such an action constitutes an infringement of fundamental rights under Article 19 of the Constitution of India.
Earlier, the Government of Jharkhand announced that mobile internet services would be suspended across the state for over five hours on two consecutive days, beginning September 21, to prevent malpractice during the Jharkhand General Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination (JGGLCCE). The government explained that the step was taken to ensure that the examinations were conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner. “It has been observed in previous instances that some unscrupulous individuals resorted to unfair practices using various mobile applications such as Facebook, WhatsApp, X (Twitter), Telegram, and YouTube, which rely on internet/Wi-Fi connectivity,” the statement read.
Doubts Revealed
Union Minister -: A Union Minister is a person who is part of the central government of India and is responsible for specific areas like education, health, or finance.
Sanjay Seth -: Sanjay Seth is a politician in India who is currently serving as a Union Minister.
Jharkhand -: Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. Its capital city is Ranchi.
Internet Shutdown -: An internet shutdown means turning off the internet so that people cannot use it. This can affect many things like studying, working, and banking.
Jharkhand General Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination -: This is a big exam in Jharkhand for people who have finished their graduation and want to get government jobs.
Jharkhand High Court -: The Jharkhand High Court is a big court in the state of Jharkhand that makes important legal decisions.
Fundamental rights -: Fundamental rights are basic rights that every person has, like the right to speak freely and the right to use the internet.
Exam malpractice -: Exam malpractice means cheating or doing something unfair during an exam to get better marks.
