To prevent malpractices and impersonation in entrance examinations, the Ministry of Finance has announced the use of Aadhaar authentication by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) for candidate verification during examinations with an aim to bolster the integrity of recruitment processes within the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector.

The decision, notified in the Gazette of India vide S.O.837 (pg.1614-15/c), designates IBPS as a 'Public Examination Authority' under the 'Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024'.

The notification, issued by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, under Rule 5 of the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance (Social Welfare, Innovation, Knowledge) Rules, 2020, allows IBPS to utilise Yes/No or e-KYC authentication facilities on a voluntary basis.

This authorisation follows consultation with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and subsequent approval by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

This initiative is designed to promote good governance and prevent malpractices such as impersonation during examinations. By offering a robust identity verification mechanism, the government aims to ensure a fair and transparent recruitment process, safeguarding the interests of genuine candidates who might otherwise be disadvantaged by fraudulent activities.

Beyond enhancing security, the voluntary Aadhaar authentication is expected to streamline and expedite the identity verification process, thereby reducing administrative burdens on IBPS.

Recently, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that tatkal ticket bookings, based on Aadhar-based OTP verification, will come into effect by July 1st, to remove middlemen.