The Ministry of Public Administration has issued 12 directives, including biometric identification, to prevent fake or proxy candidates from taking part in government recruitment examinations. Authorities have also been instructed to take special precautions at examination centres to prevent the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) and various electronic devices.

The directives were issued by the Ministry of Public Administration on Tuesday (August 11). Copies of the instructions were sent to the senior secretaries/secretaries of all ministries and divisions, divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners.

According to the directives, some candidates have recently been attempting to secure government jobs through various fraudulent means during recruitment processes conducted by ministries, divisions, departments and agencies. These include using proxy candidates to sit for written, practical and viva voce examinations, as well as using artificial intelligence and various electronic devices.

Such practices create a risk of unqualified and fake candidates securing jobs instead of genuinely qualified applicants, undermining the integrity of the recruitment process. Against this backdrop, the ministry has instructed authorities to take the following 12 measures to prevent fake or proxy candidates:

1. Applicants must be required to use a recent colour photograph taken within one month before submitting their application.

2. Applications must be thoroughly scrutinized before candidates sit for the written examination.

3. Candidates must not be allowed to enter examination centres with miniature Bluetooth devices, mobile phones, calculators, digital watches or any other electronic devices, bags, books or other materials. If necessary, candidates may be searched at the entrance using metal detectors with assistance from law enforcement agencies.

4. No candidate will be allowed to enter the examination centre after the examination has begun.

5. Officials assigned to examination rooms will not be allowed to use mobile phones or any other digital devices.

6. Room invigilators must verify each candidate’s identity by matching their appearance and roll number with the photograph on the admit card and attendance sheet before signing the answer script. Any discrepancy must be immediately reported to the officer in charge.

7. During the viva voce, the candidate’s handwriting must be compared with the handwriting on the written examination answer script and admit card. If necessary, candidates may be asked to write a short passage before the viva board so that it can be compared with the handwriting on their answer scripts.

8. If possible, photographs of all candidates taking the written examination should be taken and preserved. These photographs must later be compared with candidates appearing in practical and viva examinations.

9. Photographs of all candidates appearing in practical and viva examinations must be taken and preserved. When a finally selected candidate joins the job, the photograph must be verified before accepting their joining report.

10. Assistance from law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies must be sought before examinations are held.

11. Preparations must be made to conduct mobile courts or summary trials at examination centres. If any fake or proxy candidate is identified, mandatory legal action must be taken through a mobile court, summary trial or regular case.

12. Biometric identification systems and other necessary technologies must be used to prevent fake or proxy candidates from taking examinations.

The directives further state that ministries and divisions must inform all departments, agencies and other institutions under their jurisdiction about the instructions. They have also been directed to arrange monitoring through necessary vigilance teams during examinations.