A view of the UPSC Headquarters in New Delhi.
In a groundbreaking development, the Central Government has authorized the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to implement Aadhaar-based authentication to verify candidates’ identities on a voluntary basis during registration and at various examination stages, effective August 28, 2024.
This decision follows the recent cancellation of provisional candidature for probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who was debarred for allegedly fraudulently utilizing attempts in civil services exams beyond her eligibility. Khedkar faces accusations of misusing disability and Other Backward Classes (OBC) quotas as well.
The personnel ministry’s notification states that the UPSC can perform Aadhaar authentication for identity verification during the ‘One Time Registration’ process and various recruitment tests, employing Yes/No or e-KYC authentication methods.
Compliance with the Aadhaar Act of 2016 and the directives of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is mandatory for the commission, according to the announcement.
Aadhaar numbers, issued by UIDAI, are based on biometric and demographic data and are significant for identity verification.
In July, the UPSC took decisive action against Khedkar, including filing a forgery case for falsely claiming attempts in the civil services exams. This prompted the Delhi Police to initiate an investigation into the matter.
Khedkar, provisionally assigned to the Indian Administrative Service (2023 batch, Maharashtra cadre), is accused of abusing her authority during training in Pune.
Additionally, the UPSC has announced plans to incorporate facial recognition technology and AI-driven CCTV surveillance to deter cheating and impersonation in its examinations. A recent tender has been issued to seek proposals for two technological solutions: “Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication (or digital fingerprint capturing)” and an AI-based CCTV surveillance service to enhance the examination process.
The UPSC organizes 14 major exams annually, including the highly competitive civil services examination to select officers for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS), along with various recruitment tests for central government Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ positions.
Every year, lakhs of candidates participate in these nationwide recruitment examinations.
