The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) successfully implemented a face-authentication system during the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026, conducted on 24 May, according to an official statement issued on Thursday.

The system enabled real-time verification of candidates at examination centres through a mobile-phone-based application used by invigilators. The process matched candidates’ live images with photographs submitted during the application process, helping prevent impersonation and malpractice.

The exercise was carried out across 2,072 examination venues nationwide. Of the 8,19,732 candidates who applied for the examination, nearly 5.49 lakh appeared, according to provisional data.

The application was developed by UPSC with technical support from the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

According to UPSC, face authentication was completed in about six to eight seconds per candidate, allowing smooth entry into examination halls. More than 7,000 invigilators used the application simultaneously, with the system processing around 12,000 authentications per minute during peak entry periods.

UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar said the initiative was aimed at ensuring impersonation-free examinations and was developed in-house with support from NeGD.

The Commission said the implementation of real-time face authentication marks a step towards strengthening the integrity and transparency of the civil services examination process.

Inputs from PTI

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