As Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers or REET are being held by the state today, mobile internet and SMS will be shut down in five districts of Rajasthan for 12 hours to prevent cheating in exams, officials have said. REET will witness nearly 16 lakh students write the test for 31,000 posts in government schools. The exam is being conducted after almost three years in the state. 

“Mobile internet services, bulk SMS/MMS and other social media by Internet Service Providers (except for voice call of landline, mobile phone, and landline broadband) to be suspended in Ajmer district from 6am to 6pm on September 26 in the wake of REET exam,” the administration said in a statement. 

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It will be up to the district collectors of Ajmer, Dausa, Alwar, Jaipur and Jhunjhunu, the five areas where the internet will be affected, to ascertain if they want to extend or shorten the blackout period. Other district officials have been given the liberty to take a call on shutting down mobile internet.

In order to become a teacher in Rajasthan government schools, it is mandatory for an individual to pass the REET. Due to a large number of candidates scheduled to write the exam, the state government has made elaborate arrangements for security and travel with precautions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Huge crowd of candidates were spotted at bus stands in all 33 districts of Rajasthan as they geared up to reach their exam venues on Saturday. 

The state government had announced free travel for REET candidates in both state roadways and private buses. The North Western Railway is operating 26 special trains covering almost all important stations to help candidates reach their exam venues and back home.

Ajmer-based Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education is conducting the exam at 3,993 centres. 

“All preparations for the exam have been completed and we will ensure there is no use of unfair means,” the board’s chairman DP Jaroli said, adding, “candidates who have submitted multiple applications have been identified,” news agency PTI reported.