UPSC has decided to introduce facial recognition and AI-based CCTV surveillance to strengthen the examination process and eliminate the possibility of malpractices by the candidates. This assumes significance as the Central government is facing heat over the alleged irregularities in UGC NET, NEET exam.
UPSC conducts 14 major exams including the Civil Services exam which aims to select officers for Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS) posts. UPSC also conducts exam to fill group A, group B posts of the central government. Over 26 lakh candidates are expected to appear in such recruitment, conducted at a maximum of 80 centres in Leh, Kargil, Srinagar, Imphal, Agartala, Aizawl and Gangtok, among other major cities.
“The UPSC attaches great importance to the conduct of its examinations in a free, fair and impartial manner. In its endeavor to fulfill these objectives, the Commission intends to make use of the latest digital technology to match and cross-check the biometric details of the candidates and to monitor various activities of the candidates during the examination to prevent cheating, fraud, unfair means and impersonation,” read the tender document dated June 3, 2024.
The document further reads, “The Commission has desired to incorporate Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication (else digital fingerprint capturing) and facial recognition of candidates, scanning of QR Code of e-admit cards and monitoring through live AI-based CCTV video surveillance.”