It is essential to keep your Aadhaar card up to date. Photo: Shutterstock
The central government on Wednesday authorized the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to implement Aadhaar-based authentication to verify the identity of candidates on a voluntary basis. This new measure will be applicable both during the registration process and at various stages of examinations and recruitment.
The decision, formalised in a notice issued yesterday by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, is aimed at improving the integrity of the examination process.
He Public Service Commission of the Union They will now be able to use Aadhaar’s Yes/No authentication or e-KYC facilities to verify identity on its ‘single sign-up’ portal and throughout the recruitment process.
The ministry notification cites the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Subsidies, Benefits and Financial and Other Services) Act, 2016, and the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance (Social Welfare, Innovation, Knowledge) Rules, 2020, as the legislative framework behind this decision. UPSC is required to comply with all relevant provisions of the Act, rules and directives issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which administers the Aadhaar system.
IAS officer Puja Khedkar’s candidature cancelled
The latest development comes in the wake of the recent action taken by the UPSC against probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, whose provisional candidature was cancelled after it was discovered that she had fraudulently used additional attempts in the civil services examination. Khedkar, who was accused of manipulating her identity and misusing quotas such as the non-creamy layer category of Other Backward Classes (OBC), was permanently barred from all future UPSC examinations and recruitment processes.
The UPSC’s decision to adopt Aadhaar-based authentication is likely seen as a response to such incidents, with an aim to prevent identity fraud and ensure that only eligible candidates participate in its exams.
The UPSC, which conducts 14 major examinations annually, including the prestigious civil services examination for posts in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), as well as various recruitment tests for Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ posts, has been exploring advanced technologies to maintain the integrity of its processes.
In June, the commission announced plans to introduce facial recognition and AI-based CCTV surveillance systems to combat fraud and identity theft. It invited bids for two key technological solutions: Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication and facial recognition of candidates, and live AI-based CCTV surveillance during exams.
These measures are expected to strengthen the UPSC examination processes, which attract thousands of candidates from across the country every year. By incorporating advanced verification and identity checking techniques, the commission seeks to maintain the highest standards of fairness and transparency in its recruitment procedures.
First published: August 29, 2024 | 8:59 a.m. IS
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