The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed all the universities and higher education institutions to comply with the government’s policy of installing jammers in examination to keep a check on cheating during the exams.
In 2016, the government has allowed statutory examination conducting bodies to deploy jammers (low power) in examination halls to prevent cheating from happening.
"You must ensure adherence to the provision of government's policy on jammers in your university or college," UGC has said in a letter to vice-chancellors and college principals.
The UGC has also specified a model -- EC-CRJ-6B5 and said that this model has been evaluated successfully through lab tests and field trials. UGC has suggested to using this model at places where there is no Base Transceiver Station (BTS) within 100 meters of the site.
"Performance of jammers deployed in each examination center will be verified before commencement of examination as effectiveness of jammers depends on various factors like its power output, signal strength of BTS, traffic load on BTS at a given point of time, distance of jammer from BTS, sensitivity of receiver, terrain, topography and line of sight etc," the commission said.
"Actual deployment of jammers will require prior permission of Secretary (Security) in terms of the jammer policy of the government," the UGC letter said. Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) and the Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) have been authorized for the supply of low powered jammers. Both approved organizations are government enterprises.