Guwahati’s internet blackout – was it really necessary?

Guwahati, Sept. 17: On Sunday, Guwahatians endured a three-hour internet blackout, imposed by the Assam government ahead of the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination (ADRE).

The reasoning was simple - prevent any potential malpractices during one of the state’s largest recruitment exams. But for the city’s close to 14 lakhs residents, the decision felt like a move gone too far, causing more disruption than it solved.

In today’s digital age, where the internet underpins almost every aspect of daily life, from transportation to communication, such a sweeping restriction raises critical questions. Why should an entire city be held hostage by an internet blackout to ensure the fairness of an exam? Surely, there must be less disruptive ways to maintain the integrity of the recruitment process.

It's undeniably the government’s responsibility to safeguard the examination process. Nobody is arguing against that. But the drastic step of cutting off the internet points to a larger issue—an insecurity within the administration about its ability to conduct public exams without resorting to extreme measures.

If this is the only solution, what does it say about the government's confidence in its own systems?

Yes, the exam went off without a hitch, and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma commended the efforts of those who ensured its smooth execution.

However, this three-hour period of digital silence left Guwahatians grappling with the consequences. The blackout began affecting people well before the official start at 10:30 am, with some areas reporting outages as early as 8:30 am.

The hardest hit were, ironically, the very exam candidates. Unable to book app-based taxis or bike rides due to the internet blackout, many were forced to rely on the city's already strained public transport system.

“I faced trouble reaching my exam centre in Lokhora due to the internet shutdown. I tried booking a cab from 7 to 7:45 am but had no luck. After failing to find a direct bus, I had to return home and ask an acquaintance for a ride. I can’t imagine how those coming from far-off places to Guwahati must have managed to commute to their centres,” a candidate told The Assam Tribune, requesting anonymity.

Taxi and bike service providers, too, were left stranded as their apps became useless. Even after the ban was lifted at 1:30 p.m., many continued to experience unstable internet connections for the rest of the day, denting their business.

“The internet ban affected our business dearly, especially with many candidates relying on Rapido for their commute. I had dropped two candidates, but by the time I got my third booking, the internet was suspended. While it hurt our business, I believe students were impacted more. At one point, I reached a location where 2-3 candidates were waiting for a ride, but I could only take one. I worry that some may have even missed their exams on Sunday due to the situation,” said Punya Kalita, a Rapido captain.

The city’s traffic situation also turned into a nightmare, with bottlenecks clogging major roads.

“I had my two-wheeler, but I can’t imagine how others managed. Traffic was severe around Jalukbari and Gauhati University, worsened by buses from Upper Assam arriving at ISBT. Not knowing the exact location of Darwin Academy in Mirza, my exam centre, I relied on Google Maps, forgetting the internet was down. I had to check each centre along the way and somehow arrived just as candidate verification began,” said Bubul Kalita, a candidate.

What’s more concerning is the impact on emergency services—several ambulances were reportedly stuck in traffic, exacerbating the crisis for those in need of urgent medical care.

So, was the internet blackout worth it? Did it truly achieve its purpose? While the government’s objective of ensuring a smooth, fair exam was met, the collateral damage inflicted on the city’s residents can’t be ignored.

This incident highlights a worrying dependence on extreme measures that disrupt the daily lives of countless individuals. Amidst such a backdrop, as Guwahati moves forward, one must ask - How can we strike a balance between examination’s integrity and the basic needs of the city’s people?

The next time such an event occurs—on September 29, when the ADRE for Grade IV is scheduled—let’s hope for a more balanced approach, one that upholds examination integrity without disrupting the city's daily functioning.