Section 21. Superintendent of a Centre and invigilator to be public servant

21(1) Every Superintendent of a Centre and every invigilator shall, during the period of an examination conducted by the Board, and for a period of one month prior to the commencement of, and of two months immediately following the close of such examination, be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code. 1[(2) An assault on, or use of criminal force to, a Superintendent of a Centre or an invigilator during the period mentioned in sub-section (1) shall be deemed to be an obstruction voluntarily caused to a public servant in the discharge of his public functions punishable under Section 186 of the Indian Penal Code (Act XLV of 1860), and shall, notwithstanding anything contained in the [Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act V of 1898)] be a cognizable offence.]