NEET-UG 2025 sees first use of real-time Aadhaar-based face verification

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has successfully conducted a pilot project deploying Aadhaar-based face authentication technology at select exam centres in New Delhi during the NEET-UG 2025, the Ministry of Electronics & IT said on Monday.

The Proof of Concept (PoC) on the use of face authentication, carried out in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and the National Testing Agency (NTA), marked the first-of-its-kind real-time deployment of facial biometrics during one of India’s largest entrance examinations.

“The face authentication was performed in real-time, using Aadhaar’s biometric database, making the process contactless and more streamlined,” the ministry said in a statement. "The results of the PoC showed a very high level of accuracy and efficiency in candidate verification."

The move is being seen as a potential game-changer in curbing impersonation and improving transparency in the conduct of public examinations.

The initiative showcased the potential of Aadhaar face authentication as a secure, scalable, and student-friendly solution for identity verification in large-scale examinations, the ministry said.

Over 20.8 lakh students appeared for the medical entrance test on Sunday across 5,400 centres in India and 14 cities abroad. The use of advanced biometric verification was among the various measures deployed to ensure security and prevent malpractice amid growing concerns about exam integrity.

Security was particularly tight this year following alleged irregularities in previous editions of NEET-UG that put the exam's integrity under the scanner. A centralised control room under the Union Ministry of Education, along with ministries of electronics, home affairs, health, and defence, monitored the conduct of the exam nationwide.

Despite largely smooth operations, isolated incidents were reported in some areas. In Karnataka’s Kalaburagi, members of the Brahmin community protested after some students were allegedly asked to remove their sacred thread. In Rajasthan and Odisha, police detained several individuals in separate cases of cheating and impersonation attempts.

At a centre in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri, a few students faced biometric verification issues, though officials maintained that three-layered monitoring and mock drills conducted a day before the exam ensured overall smooth functioning.

The NTA also cracked down on over 190 social media channels spreading false claims of paper leaks and fake content.