MP recruitment body to try facial recognition tech to verify candidate identity
Malviya said no other state currently uses facial recognition technology for verification of candidates at an examination centre.
BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh Employee Selection Board (MPESB) is exploring use of Aadhaar-based facial recognition technology to verify the identity of candidates appearing for recruitment examinations.
“We will initially implement the facial recognition system on a pilot basis for a smaller examination. A dedicated software and system are being developed to enable examiners to conduct face recognition using tablets. After evaluating its the economic feasibility, efficiency and accuracy, we plan to replace the current fingerprint biometrics with face recognition technology,” said MPESB director Saket Malviya.
Malviya said no other state currently uses facial recognition technology for verification of candidates at an examination centre. “Therefore, MPESB is conducting a thorough analysis before full implementation,” he said.
Malviya said MPESB was collaborating with Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). “UIDAI is our only source for face recognition base data. The face recognition will be done using photo captured for Aadhaar card,” said a second official who spoke on conditions of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to the media.
The move to upgrade the verification system comes after investigators found multiple cases in the Constable Recruitment Exam 2023 where the thumbprints of the candidates stored in the UIDAI database were updated with thumbprints of person who was to impersonate them in the recruitment examination.
Under existing regulations, anyone can update 22% of their fingerprints multiple times. “This provision was exploited to enable solvers to fraudulently appear for candidates in the exams, the second official said.
Virendra Singh, deputy inspector general (DIG), selection and recruitment wing, said earlier this month that 20 FIRs had been registered and over a dozen people including two registered Aadhaar card updation kiosk operators had been arrested in connection with the MPSEB exam in 2023 to recruit 7,411 posts of constables in state police.
“We are continuously upgrading our systems to ensure fair examinations. Face recognition is a cutting-edge technology and our team is also working on other measures to detect irregularities within the exam hall itself,” Malviya said.
