UPSC tests AI facial authentication tech at Gurugram exam centres

New Delhi, Sep 18 (IANS) The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducted a pilot test in Gurugram to test AI-enabled facial authentication technology for swift and secure candidate verification during two exams held earlier this month, an official said on Thursday.

This anti-impersonation tool's pilot test, undertaken in collaboration with the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), was done during the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy II Examination 2025 and CDS II Examination 2025 held on September 14, the official added.

UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar said: "The Commission is committed to adopting cutting-edge technology to uphold the highest standards of fairness and transparency. This pilot with AI-based facial recognition is a significant step in our endeavour towards, smarter, secure and efficient exam process."

"While the UPSC is committed, to modernise its practices, the utmost care has been given for safeguarding the integrity of our processes," he said, hinting at the inbuild mechanism to address issues related to candidates' privacy.

In a message on X, the UPSC Chief said, "UPSC successfully conducted trial face-authentication at select centres in Gurgaon. The process was smooth and seamless — a step towards smarter, secure, and efficient exams."

An official statement said that the technology seeks to strengthen the integrity of the examination process and enhance the ease of entry for candidates at examination centres.

The pilot was carried out at select centres in Gurugram, where candidates' facial images were digitally matched with the photographs submitted in their registration forms, Kumar added.

The new system reduced verification time to an average of 8 to 10 seconds per candidate, significantly streamlining the entry into the exam centre while adding an extra layer of security.

Across the pilot locations, about 2,700 successful scans were completed for 1,129 candidates across different sessions.

The successful trial marks an important step towards leveraging advanced technology for smarter, more secure and efficient examinations.

The Union government has been consistently strengthening the framework to check impersonation and other wrongdoings in exams.

With a punishment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to Rs 1 crore, the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, introduced specific provisions to combat impersonation and other malpractices in government exams.

--IANS

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