MeritTrac Services partnered with the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) as its digital examination solution provider, and successfully concluded live remote proctoring of their annual entrance exams MET 2020. The exams were held for MAHE’s undergraduate and Ph.D. courses from August 1-13, 2020. 

In a first for India, close to one lakh exams were remotely proctored live, seamlessly without any disruptions. While a lot of universities are contemplating cancellation or postponement of exams, MAHE decided to hold their entrance exams for the new academic year. To ensure no student faced any issues on the main examination day, mock tests were organised to help them get accustomed to the digital interface and new exam environment. Furthermore, a help desk number was shared with each candidate that they could call for support at any time. 

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Narayana Sabhahit, Registrar, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, said, “With the technology and tools available today, we saw no reason to cancel our exams. The entire process was meticulously designed, planned, and executed without any interruptions. It was a great experience for us as well as students appearing for the exams from across India and abroad. Apart from the advanced AI-based tools, it was also the exceptional quality of proctoring professionals who made the exams a success. At the end of it, it was no different from an exam we would’ve held at test centres. In fact, it was far more convenient, efficient, and economical.” 

MeritTrac’s large pool of professionally trained, seasoned proctors have hands-on training and in-depth expertise in the online examination and proctoring process. Administrators were assigned to manage the proctors, oversee the entire examination, and provide continuous updates to the MAHE leadership team. Additionally, help desk resources were available throughout the duration of the exam to assist students, if needed.

Remote proctoring tools used were AI/ML-based that help combat issues like duplication and impersonation. Features like blocking virtual access, disabling Bluetooth devices, checking & disabling toggling of browsers or screens during the exam, monitoring consistency of face, eye movement, voice and background noise, webcam recordings, audio-video analytics ensured that the entire proctoring process was precise, accurate, and secure. This allowed efficient monitoring; screening candidates appearing for an online examination all through the test duration and thus, maintain the sanctity of the exam.

Speaking on the occasion, Ambrish Sinha, CEO, MeritTrac Services, said, “It’s exciting to see what we can achieve with technology to make lives easier for the student and institutions especially during these uncertain times. Our commitment towards our clients, and the drive to change the education landscape pushes us to innovate constantly. Digital exams have helped us manage student experience and learning outcomes during the pandemic. We believe remote and online proctoring is here to stay and will be used extensively in the future for entrance exams as well as semester exams in higher education institutes. We’re happy to have partnered with MAHE to conduct of ‘one of the first’ remote proctored high stakes exam in the country – MET 2020. We look forward to innovating with MAHE on future of assessments and digital examination solutions in the times to come.”

MeritTrac has been providing end-to-end exam administration solutions for various governments, educational institutions, and corporate organisations for years. They have helped more than 400 organisations across the globe access candidates for job readiness. Their research-driven scientific assessments, certified products, and proven processes are used for hiring and workforce development, exam administration, and digital evaluation.