The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has successfully conducted a pilot program testing AI-enabled facial recognition technology to verify candidates during the NDA & NA II and CDS II Examinations held on September 14, 2025. The initiative marks a major leap in digitizing the exam process while enhancing both speed and security.
A new benchmark for secure exam entry
The pilot, carried out at select centers in Gurugram in collaboration with the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), used real-time facial image matching to authenticate candidates’ identities. On average, the verification process took only 8–10 seconds per candidate, compared to the longer manual checks that have traditionally delayed entry at examination centers.
In total, over 2,700 successful scans were recorded across different sessions for 1,129 unique candidates, with consistent accuracy and no significant system issues reported.
Boosting integrity and transparency
This AI-enabled authentication aims to tackle long-standing concerns around impersonation and document fraud in national-level exams. By matching candidates’ real-time facial scans with the photos submitted in their application forms, the system adds an extra layer of identity verification without increasing the burden on examination staff.
Dr. Ajay Kumar, Chairman of UPSC, emphasized that the pilot aligns with the Commission’s broader goal of adopting cutting-edge digital technologies without compromising on procedural integrity.
“This pilot with AI-based facial recognition is a significant step in our endeavor towards a smarter, secure, and more efficient examination process,” said Dr. Kumar. “The utmost care has been taken to ensure the integrity of our processes while modernizing them.”
The road ahead: tech-powered governance
While this was a limited pilot, the results point toward a future where AI-driven verification can be scaled across various exams and centers. For instance, it could eventually enable touchless entry, minimize paperwork, streamline reporting, and integrate with existing digital public infrastructure such as Aadhaar and DigiLocker.
For policy-makers and exam authorities, this represents a step toward secure, digital-first governance where AI is used to enforce transparency and inclusivity in large-scale, high-stakes public services.
For India’s technology leadership, the move showcases how AI can be meaningfully deployed beyond buzzwords—in a way that improves the citizen experience, reduces fraud, and builds institutional trust at scale.
