NEW DELHI: In response to the recent controversy surrounding probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who was disqualified due to misuse of additional attempts in the civil services examination, the central government has given the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) the green light to implement Aadhaar-based authentication for verifying candidates' identities. This new measure will be voluntary and aims to enhance the integrity of the examination process.

According to a notification from the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions, the UPSC is now authorized to use Aadhaar’s Yes/No or e-KYC authentication services on its 'one-time registration' portal and throughout the recruitment process.

The notification references the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, and the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance (Social Welfare, Innovation, Knowledge) Rules, 2020, as the legal basis for this decision.

Previously, in June, the UPSC had announced plans to implement facial recognition and AI-driven CCTV surveillance systems to combat cheating and impersonation. Additionally, the commission is seeking bids for technological solutions, including Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication and live AI-based CCTV monitoring during exams.

The UPSC is also set to introduce facial recognition and AI-powered CCTV surveillance to address issues of cheating and impersonation. The commission has issued a tender for advanced technological solutions, which include Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication, digital fingerprint capturing, facial recognition, QR code scanning of e-admit cards, and live AI-driven CCTV monitoring.

The UPSC administers 14 major exams each year, including the civil services examination, which selects candidates for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and other related services. Every year, hundreds of thousands of candidates participate in these exams across the country.

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