UPSC to Introduce Mandatory Face Authentication at Examination Centres
New Delhi, 12th January 2026: In a move aimed at enhancing the integrity and security of its recruitment examinations, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced that face authentication will be made mandatory for all candidates appearing at UPSC-conducted examination centres.
The decision was confirmed through a notification published on the Commission’s official website, which stated, “All candidates appearing in the UPSC examination will undergo face authentication at the venue.” Officials said the measure is intended to strengthen transparency and prevent instances of impersonation during high-stakes competitive examinations.
UPSC conducts a wide range of recruitment examinations for central government services, including the Civil Services Examination for selection to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS), among others.
The move follows the successful implementation of a pilot project using artificial intelligence-enabled facial authentication technology. The pilot was conducted during the NDA and NA (II) Examination, 2025, and the CDS (II) Examination, 2025, held on September 14, 2025.
During the pilot, face authentication was carried out at select examination centres in Gurugram, where candidates’ live facial images were digitally matched with photographs submitted at the time of registration. The system significantly streamlined the verification process, reducing identity checks to an average of 8 to 10 seconds per candidate, while adding an additional layer of security.
UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar had earlier said that the technology helped simplify entry procedures without compromising examination security. Encouraged by the results, the Commission has now decided to roll out face authentication across all future UPSC examinations.
