NEET-UG row: UPSC to revamp its exam system with new tech

The Union Public Service Commission conducts 14 examinations every year, including the Civil Services Examination and a number of recruitment tests and interviews for induction to Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ posts of the Government of India. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Amid widespread allegations of cheating in the NEET examination for medical college admissions, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is all set to revamp its own examination system through technological solutions such as Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication and facial recognition systems, and closed circuit television (CCTV) surveillance using artificial intelligence (AI).

The Commission conducts 14 examinations every year, including the Civil Services Examination (CSE) and a number of recruitment tests and interviews for induction to Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ posts of the Government of India.

Over 10.1 lakh people applied for CSE 2023, and around 5.9 lakh candidates appeared for the examination. The UPSC conducts the CSE to recommend candidates for appointment to the prestigious Indian Administrative Service (IAS), and Indian Police Service (IPS), among others.

Tech solutions

The National Testing Agency (NTA) was recently dragged to the Supreme Court after several lapses were reported in the conduct of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2024, the results of which were announced on June 4. In the wake of that fiasco, the UPSC floated a tender on June 20 seeking bids from public sector undertakings (PSUs) to revamp the examination process. The move also coincided with the row over trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who allegedly forged documents to appear for the CSE on 12 occasions, far above the number of permitted attempts. The UPSC has registered a criminal case against Ms. Khedkar.

“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,” the tender document said.

Preventing impersonation

The UPSC will provide the data and images submitted by applicants during the online registration process to the service provider for the Aadhar-based fingerprint authentication and facial recognition systems to verify candidates on the day of the exam. To rule out attempts at impersonation, fingerprint scanners and facial recognition devices will be used at the examination centres, it said.

The Commission has proposed a real-time attendance monitoring system along with GPS coordinates to ensure that enrolment is done during the stipulated shift.

“QR code on the Admit Card (containing roll number of the candidate) should be scanned to auto-fetch the candidate’s details from Application Database (provided by UPSC). In case QR code on Admit Card is not scannable, then manual entry of candidate’s roll number from Admit Card has to be done,” the UPSC said.

CCTV surveillance

The Commission said it has decided to “implement CCTV/video surveillance with recording and live broadcast system to monitor various activities of the candidates and other persons deployed to conduct the Commission’s Examinations at the various centres and venues across the country under a secure environment.”

The service provider will be required to install an adequate number of CCTV colour cameras in every classroom, with at least one camera for every 24 candidates, at the entry and exit gates to the exam centre, and in the control room where pre-examination sensitive material will be kept and opened, and post-examination sensitive material will be packed.

The service provider will also have to make arrangements for remote live viewing of the CCTV footage at the UPSC’s own control room.