Staff Selection Commission implements Aadhaar-based authentication for its recruitment exams
New Delhi (PTI): The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has decided to implement Aadhaar-based biometric authentication in its all forthcoming examinations in order to verify candidates' identity on a voluntary basis, officials said on Sunday.
They said the new measure will come into force for recruitment tests conducted from next month onwards.
The SSC is one of the largest recruitment agencies of the central government with its main mandate to conduct selections for non-gazetted posts in various central ministries and departments, among others.
"The Commission has decided to implement Aadhar Based Biometric Authentication in its forthcoming examinations.
"Accordingly, candidates will be able to authenticate themselves using Aadhaar at the time of online registration, while filling up online application form for the examinations and while appearing at the test centre to take examinations conducted by the Commission from May 2025 onwards," a recent public notice issued by the recruitment body said.
Such Aadhaar authentication is voluntary and is intended as a measure to promote the ease of engaging with the examination process, the SSC said.
Aadhaar is a 12-digit number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to all eligible citizens on the basis of biometric and demographic data.
The officials said that Aadhaar-based authentication will also help in ensuring that government jobs aspirants do not fake their identity or use other fraudulent means to take recruitment exams conducted by the Commission.
In a notification issued on September 12 last year, the Union Personnel Ministry had said that the SSC is allowed to perform Aadhaar authentication on voluntary basis.
The SSC shall adhere to all relevant provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, "the rules and regulations made thereunder, and directions issued by the ‘Unique Identification Authority of India’," it added.
The Commission conducts seven mandated all India open competitive examinations, including the Combined Graduate Level Examination (CGLE) besides three limited departmental competitive examinations.
The Personnel Ministry had on August 28 last year issued an identical notification, a first for any recruitment agency, to approve Aadhaar-based authentication by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Lakhs of candidates appear in government jobs recruitment tests conducted across the country by the SSC and UPSC.
The UPSC had last year also decided to use facial recognition and artificial intelligence-based CCTV surveillance systems to prevent cheating and impersonation in its various tests.
The UPSC conducts 14 major exams annually, including the prestigious civil services examination to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), besides a number of recruitment tests and interviews every year for induction to Group 'A' and Group 'B' posts of the central government.
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Fifties by Kohli, Bethel, Shepherd power RCB to 213/5 against CSK
Bengaluru (PTI): Virat Kohli and Jacob Bethel did the early running with well-crafted fifties, while Romario Shepherd applied the finishing touches with a brutal 14-ball unbeaten half-century as Royal Challengers Bengaluru raced to a massive 213 for five against Chennai Super Kings in an IPL match here on Saturday.
The Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni decided to bowl first after winning the toss, but the decision played handsomely into RCB’s hands as Kohli and Bethel merrily chugged along to make 97 runs in just 9.5 overs for the opening wicket.
Kohli (62 off 33 balls) and Bethel (55 off 33) exploited a fuss-free pitch to telling effect, and their job was made much easier by the wrong lines of CSK bowlers, which was evidenced when Shepherd (53 not out off 14 balls; 4x4, 6X6) made the joint second fastest fifty in the IPL.
The fastest fifty of the IPL was struck off just 13 balls by Yashasvi Jaiswal in 2023, while both KL Rahul (in 2018) and Pat Cummins (2022) had also earlier made half centuries off 14 balls.
Khaleel Ahmed, who has the highest number of dot balls in this IPL at 110, tried to test Kohli with snorter but it was pulled thunderously over fine leg for a six.
In the very next ball, the left-arm pacer went for a fuller length delivery but it was on Kohli’s pads as the batter sent the ball soaring over square leg for a maximum, and all he needed was a simple unlocking of his wrist.
Bethel was more brutal. The England left-hander smashed Ahmed for three successive fours in the first over itself, all rasping cuts and forceful drives, as RCB raced out of the traps.
The 21-year-old had a slice of fortune too as Ravindra Jadeja and Matheesha Pathirana collided with each other to spill a catch off pacer Anshul Kamboj.
Bethel was on 27 then, and he soon brought up his maiden IPL fifty with a reverse scoop off Jadeja.
Kohli too reached his fifty soon after with a routine slap through the cover region for a four off Jadeja.
Just as the alliance was blossoming further, Bethel skied Pathirana for Dewald Brevis to complete a fine catch running in from the boundary line.
It gave some respite to the CSK bowlers, who found a way to stem the free flow of runs using cutters and into-the-deck deliveries, particularly Sam Curran (1/34) and Pathirana (3/36).
Curran consumed Kohli with a slow delivery which did not allow the batter to execute a ramp over Ahmed at gully.
But Kohli and Bethel had given RCB a superb platform as the home side were placed at 121 for 2 in the 12th over.
However, the improved lengths of CSK bowlers and a tinge of slowness in the track made RCB settle for 37 runs between overs 12 and 18 as batters like Devdutt Padikkal and skipper Rajat Patidar failed to force the pace.
But Shepherd waded into Ahmed (65 runs in 3 overs), slamming him for four sixes and two fours in the 19th over which yielded 33 runs.
Shepherd and Tim David raised their fifty stand for the sixth wicket in just 14 balls and the latter contributed a princely two runs in that alliance.
