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With 95 internet shutdowns as of August 2018, the year is already the worst for an open internet in the country. While the most times state governments shut down the internet in specific places for security and related reasons, states also use shutdowns regularly to prevent cheating in recruitment examinations ! Considering that the internet is now an intrinsic part of life–it’s been declared a human right by the United nations–critical for essential services, conducting business as well as personal lives, the increase in shutdowns has raised concerns. Here’s a look at the number of shutdowns in the country, where they happened, how India compares with other countries and what internet shutdowns cost.