Even as the controversy surrounding former IAS trainee Puja Khedkar continues to dominate headlines, the Centre on Wednesday allowed the Union Public Service Commission to conduct Aadhaar-based authentication to verify the identity of candidates on a voluntary basis right from the time of registration to the various stages of examinations and recruitment.
The Personnel Ministry said in a notification that UPSC “is authorized to conduct Aadhaar authentication, on a voluntary basis, for verification of the identity of candidates at the time of registration on the ‘Single Registration’ portal and at various stages of recruitment examination/test, using Yes/No or/and e-KYC authentication facility,” news agency PTI reported.
Now the question is, what exactly is the Aadhaar-based system and what changes can it bring to the existing system?
To have an overview of the new movement, let us first understand Aadhaar-based authentication:
In July 2024, the UPSC had issued a tender notice expressing its “desire to incorporate Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication or digital fingerprint capture and facial recognition of candidates, QR code scanning of e-admit cards and monitoring through live AI-based CCTV video surveillance” while conducting examinations.
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) defines Aadhaar authentication as “the process by which the Aadhaar number along with demographic or biometric information of the Aadhaar number holder is submitted to the Central Identity Data Repository (CIDR) for verification and the CIDR verifies the accuracy, or lack thereof, on the basis of the information available therein.”
In simpler words, Aadhaar authentication is a process that involves verifying the details of an individual through his or her 12-digit Aadhaar number issued by the UIDAI to all eligible citizens based on biometric and demographic data.
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According to UIDAI, Aadhaar authentication aims at providing an online digital identity platform so that the identity of Aadhaar number holders can be instantly validated anytime, anywhere.
Types of Aadhaar based authentication:
There are four types of Aadhaar based authentication:
- Demographic authentication
- One-Time PIN (OTP) based authentication
- Biometric-based authentication
- Multi-factor authentication
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Possible Aadhaar-based authentication process during UPSC exams
While registering for UPSC exams, applicants will be required to enter the necessary details of their Aadhaar card to facilitate the commission to obtain the relevant information for verifying the candidate’s details throughout the recruitment process.
It is worth mentioning here that the Commission, in its tender notice dated 16 July 2024, had explained what service providers would likely have to do to incorporate the Aadhaar-based authentication procedure during examinations. Some of these instructions are as follows:
- Use the data provided by UPSC for Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication (also known as digital fingerprint capture) of candidates and facial recognition during the exam.
- Deploy sufficient number of handheld devices integrated with QR code scanners along with sufficient staff at each and every examination venue to ensure that Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication and facial recognition of candidates’ activities are completed as per the prescribed schedule.
- It should be ensured that all data captured at each examination venue is synchronized on the main server and the same should be notified to UPSC 30 minutes before the end of each examination session.
- Once the QR code on the admit card is scanned and the candidate’s details are automatically fetched from the application database provided by UPSC, Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication or fingerprint capture of the candidate’s fingerprint data will be done, which will be followed by facial recognition of the candidate using the handheld device. Facial recognition will be done based on the photographs submitted by the candidates as per the prescribed format.
- The commission requires that all authentication and verification activities be completed before the commencement of each shift of the examination within the stipulated time as per UPSC instructions.
- Such service providers are not permitted to enter the examination hall/hall for conducting biometric authentication/fingerprint capture and facial recognition of candidates and/or scanning QR codes on e-admit cards etc., the UPSC said.
Aadhar-based authentication: A consequence of the Khedkar controversy?
The Centre’s decision to allow UPSC to introduce Aadhaar-based authentication comes in the backdrop of the Khedkar controversy, which opened a Pandora’s box of alleged forgeries. The former IAS officer-in-training is accused of not only fraudulently availing attempts in the civil services examination beyond the eligibility requirements but also misusing disability and other backward classes or OBC (non-creamy layer) quotas, among others.
Apart from this, he also allegedly abused his privileges during his training in Pune.
It is noteworthy that Khedkar had earlier been provisionally allotted the Indian Administrative Service (class of 2023, Maharashtra cadre).
UPSC Exams in September:
Meanwhile, UPSC is gearing up to conduct crucial exams in September. These include:
- NDA NDA II Exam 2024 – September 1, 2024
- CDS II Exam 2024: September 1, 2024
- Civil Service Examination (Main) 2024: 20 September 2024 (5 days)
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