Tackling impersonation, paper leaks in exams with tech-first solutions

In a country where examinations hold the power to shape a candidate's future, the sanctity of the exam process is non-negotiable. Today, assessments are more than just evaluations; they have become milestones that define careers, instill confidence in a person’s own ability, and create opportunities for better livelihoods. However, when the fairness of these assessments is compromised, the ripple effects extend far beyond the exam halls.

In India’s competitive landscape, an examination decides the fate of crores of candidates. Candidates walk into the examination hall with the belief that their effort will be rewarded on merit. However, due to malpractices such as impersonation, paper leaks, and unauthorized collaboration, this trust and belief can easily be eroded.

The repercussions on other stakeholders of the assessment ecosystem may also be severe. Owing to re-examination, the examination authorities incur financial losses. For students, career advancement is delayed. Examination authorities can face scrutiny, and their trustworthiness becomes questionable. And amidst all this, the families of candidates suffer the most as some of them invest their life savings in coaching and preparation.

Hence, strengthening exam security isn’t just about protocols; it’s about protecting candidates’ aspirations and system integrity on a large scale.

Examination Malpractices

From impersonation to paper leaks, exam fraud has undergone significant evolution in recent years. Several high-stakes and highly competitive examinations have faced incidents of impersonation and paper leaks, sparking widespread protests and raising serious concerns about the integrity of the examination system.

Recently, in one of the prominent police recruitment exams, cheaters swapped their biometric information in the Aadhaar database with that of the impersonators’ and re-updated the original information after successful completion of the exam. With crores of candidates taking various exams each year, such security breaches are not just isolated incidents; they indicate a systemic vulnerability.

Furthermore, with technological evolution, malpractice strategies are also evolving. Wrongdoers and impersonators are continually devising ways to circumvent traditional security methods. These range from forged biometrics to pre-filled admit cards. Examination authorities must therefore begin to adopt multi-layered, integrated, and tech-first security models to outmanoeuvre such wrongdoers.

A closer look at the examination process reveals multiple stages- before, on the day of, and during the exam- that are vulnerable to impersonation or paper leakage. At the time of registration, pre-exam, a candidate can upload an image morphed with that of an impersonator. On exam day, an impersonator can appear on behalf of the candidate or can take up the identity of on-ground staff. In the case of significant exam documents, such as question papers or answer sheets, there is a risk of tampering or leakage not only during transit but also within the exam centers. Particularly, in the case of CBT exams, questions can also be leaked by remote access with the help of malicious software pre-installed on the computer nodes.

Exam Security Solutions

In today’s times, advanced technologies can be leveraged to create an integrated suite of solutions that provide foolproof exam security, leaving no scope for potential cases of malpractice arising from impersonation and paper leaks. 

Exam security begins at the time of registration itself. There are pre-exam face-matching solutions that can ‘catch’ candidates who use fake or morphed photos for impersonation. The solution compares each candidate’s image with a database of previous years’ toppers, historical & repeat impersonators, while analyzing the image quality and alerting on issues such as photo blur & distortion, multiple face detection, and duplication.

A GPS-enabled tracking & locking solution can be deployed to protect critical examination documents, such as question papers, in transit, from theft and tampering. Referred to as a keyless solution, the ‘smart’ lock can be remotely accessed or locked/unlocked when it reaches a particular location or until a pre-set time. Any anomalies outside the configuration create alerts on remote dashboards for reporting and action. 

Unauthorized objects, such as mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, and smartwatches that can aid in impersonation or paper leaks, can be prevented from entering examination centers through a multi-layered frisking solution, including Handheld Metal Detectors (HHMDs) and advanced Door Frame Metal Detectors (DFMDs). 

A multi-layered biometric solution can be deployed to authenticate the identity of candidates on the day of the exam. The biometric solution utilizes facial recognition technology to capture a real-time photo of the candidate and match it against the image on the admit card. A multi-stage biometric solution should be deployed to catch impersonators. In addition to traditional fingerprint, facial, and iris scanning, there are advanced solutions like Palm vein pattern recognition technology, which leaves no scope for impersonation.  

Furthermore, the identity of on-site staff can also be checked appropriately and authenticated to prevent any attempts at impersonation. This can be achieved by employing an offline QR Code technology, ensuring only authorized personnel and invigilators are granted entry, thereby eliminating the risk of impersonators with malicious intent. 

Exam Center Surveillance

An AI-based CCTV surveillance system enables monitoring of examination centers and constituent halls across multiple locations/centers. These advanced cameras detect and flag any anomalies in real-time, such as camera tampering, zone intrusions, invigilator inactivity, or crowding using advanced AI/ML algorithms. Each alert can then be automatically escalated for prompt action, ensuring integrity throughout the examination. Additionally, a command control room can be set up at a central location where all the feeds are monitored.

Throughout the examination journey, communication breakdowns can derail everything, from reporting an incident to escalating it for resolution. This can be solved by employing an encrypted communication system, such as VoIP phones at the centers and the central command control room, for one-touch coordination between center staff and command centers. Additionally, AI analysis of calls can be used to generate summaries or answer specific questions. 

To track the movement of candidates and on-site staff within the center, authorities can employ RFID enabled wristband technology. These wristbands, when worn by candidates and staff, can provide real-time tracking within the center's premises.

Most exams today are held in makeshift centers, such as schools and colleges, which often lack the necessary infrastructure to prevent modern impersonation and exam fraud. This highlights the need for dedicated, tech-enabled exam centers with advanced security systems to deter malpractice. However, authorities often deploy only select solutions, leaving critical security gaps. A long-term fix is to establish government-controlled exam centers that are fully compliant with regulatory norms and equipped with comprehensive security measures, developed and managed through a PPP or revenue-sharing model.

All in all, secure and safe examinations should not just be a logistical concern for the authorities, but a nationwide imperative. Technology can empower a proactive and preventive approach amidst the growing sophistication of malpractice networks. With an increasing number of exams transitioning from Paper-based Tests (PBT) to Computer-based Tests (CBT), the need for technology-backed security interventions is even more crucial. Solutions that are integrated and interoperable represent the future of secure assessments in India.

By Ashish Mittal, Whole-time Director, Innovatiview India Limited