The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has been given approval by the Central government to use Aadhaar-based verification to voluntarily confirm candidates’ identities. This is a big step. This new approach will be implemented at several points in the registration process, as well as throughout the recruiting and assessment phases.
This ruling comes in the wake of recent proceedings taken against Puja Khedkar, a probationary IAS officer, whose temporary candidacy was revoked last month for unlawfully obtaining more tries than her eligibility permitted in the civil services test. Other Backward Classes (OBC – non-creamy layer) and handicap quotas have been accused of being misused by Khedkar.
In a notification, the personnel ministry said the UPSC “is allowed to perform Aadhaar authentication, on a voluntary basis, for verification of identity of candidates at the time of registration on ‘One Time Registration’ portal and various stages of examination/recruitment test, using Yes/No or/and e-KYC authentication facility”.
The UPSC has committed to adhering strictly to the provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, along with all associated rules, regulations, and guidelines issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
The Aadhaar system, which is a 12-digit unique identification number issued by UIDAI, is based on the biometric and demographic data of Indian citizens. This new verification method is expected to bolster the integrity of the examination process.
In addition to the Aadhaar-based authentication, the UPSC had earlier taken steps to prevent fraud in its exams. In July, it initiated actions against Khedkar, including lodging a forgery case for identity fraud during the civil services exam. The Delhi Police has since begun investigating the case.
Furthermore, in June, the UPSC announced plans to integrate facial recognition and artificial intelligence (AI)-based CCTV surveillance to deter cheating and impersonation during exams. The Commission invited bids from public sector undertakings to develop two technological solutions: Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication and facial recognition of candidates, along with live AI-based CCTV surveillance to be used during exams.
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