News Brief
IndiaAI Unveils Rs 2.5 Crore Face Authentication Challenge To Strengthen Fairness And Security In Public Examinations
The initiative targets AI solutions that ensure fair, transparent, and merit-based selection of candidates.
IndiaAI, an independent business division under the Digital India Corporation, launched the Face Authentication Challenge on Tuesday (14 October) as part of the IndiaAI Application Development Initiative.
The programme invites startups and technology firms to develop a highly accurate, secure, and scalable AI-based image verification and de-duplication solution to strengthen the integrity of large-scale public examinations.
The challenge offers a Rs 2.5 crore prize pool, whilst the top two teams may secure a two-year contract and up to Rs 1 crore for final deployment.
The initiative targets AI solutions that ensure fair, transparent, and merit-based selection of candidates by preventing duplicate applications and impersonation.
Participants must develop an end-to-end facial verification system employing one-to-many matching techniques against historical applicant databases to detect duplicates.
The challenge comes weeks after the Union Public Service Commission successfully piloted AI-based facial recognition technology during the National Defence Academy and Combined Defence Services examinations in September.
The pilot, conducted in collaboration with the National e-Governance Division, reduced verification time to just 8-10 seconds per candidate and was successfully implemented at select centres in Gurugram.
Applications for the Face Authentication Challenge remain open until 25 October 2025 via the official IndiaAI portal at indiaai.gov.in. Applicants must demonstrate prior experience in public or private sector engagements.
The initiative aligns with the broader IndiaAI Mission, which received a Rs 10,372 crore budget approval in March 2024 to democratise AI benefits across society, bolster India's global leadership in artificial intelligence, and ensure ethical and responsible AI development.
