Internet slowdown to stop question paper leaks!

Mobile phone operators have been asked to slow down internet speed for an hour in the morning during the SSC examinations to check question paper leaks, according to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

The latest measure came following repeated failures to stop question paper leaks in public examinations, including the ongoing Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations.

The telecom regulatory body sent a letter with this effect to the mobile phone operators on Sunday morning, said officials concerned.

Internet speed has to be slowed down between 10:00am and 11:00am, the initial hour of SSC examinations, according to the directive.

The officials argued that the government has initiated the move as the social media sites are found to have been used for question leaks and distribition among the targetted clients.

The leaked questions are available minutes before the examinations begin, the officials admitted.

Questions of mathematics SSC were allegedly leaked on Saturday. Earlier, questions of Bangla 1st and 2nd papers, English 1st and 2nd paper and religious affairs were also reportedly leaked.

Law enforcers detained 14 persons in connection with question leaks in the capital on Saturday.

The education ministry has in the meantime formed an inter-ministry committee in the face of widespread criticism about question paper leaks. However, the committee is yet to start its activities.

The SSC and the equal examinations started on 1 February and over 2 million students are appearing in the examinations this year.