UPSC chairman Ajay Kumar announced that a pilot project testing AI-enabled facial recognition for candidate verification has been successfully conducted during NDA, NA, and CDS exams. Developed with NeGD, the tech aims to enhance security, transparency, and efficiency in UPSC examinations across India.
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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) chairman, Ajay Kumar, on Friday announced that a pilot programme has been successfully conducted to test an artificial intelligence-enabled facial authentication technology for quick and secure candidate verification, as reported by news agency PTI.
While highlighting this tech-oriented aspect, the UPSC chairman said, “This initiative, developed in partnership with the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), aims to strengthen the integrity of the examination process and enhance the entry experience for candidates at examination centres,” as cited by news agency PTI.
He further added that "The UPSC plans to use facial recognition of candidates from all its examinations, including the civil services exams, going forward," as cited by PTI.
The commission conducts various recruitment examinations for government jobs, including the civil services exam to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), among others.
The UPSC chairman further noted that logistics, such as Wi-Fi availability and training for personnel involved in facial recognition, are key considerations. Moreover, necessary standard operating procedures (SOPs) are currently being developed in this regard.
UPSC chairman Ajay Kumar further said that, “The UPSC conducted the pilot during the NDA (National Defence Academy) and NA (Naval Academy) II Examination, 2025, and CDS (Combined Defence Services) II Examination, 2025, held on September 14, 2025,” as per PTI.
The pilot was carried out across select centres in Gurugram, where candidates' facial images were digitally matched with the photographs submitted in their registration forms, the UPSC chairman said, reported PTI.
Ajay Kumar further emphasised that, "Across the pilot locations, about 2,700 successful scans were completed for 1,129 candidates across different sessions. The successful trial marks an important step towards leveraging advanced technology for smarter, more secure and efficient examinations," as per PTI.
He emphasised that the commission is committed to adopting cutting-edge technology to uphold the highest standards of fairness and transparency.
Kumar further added, "This pilot with AI-based facial recognition is a significant step in our endeavour towards a smarter, secure and efficient exam process. While the UPSC is committed to modernising its practices, the utmost care has been given for safeguarding the integrity of our processes," cited by news agency PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)
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